17 Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later

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A recent study from Goad Fuel found that the average American is exposed to about 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day. Nevertheless, there is no scientific evidence in support of this claim. The 1970s were years of creativity, pushing limits, and defining a new standard.

Brands tried to find innovative ways of connecting with the audiences through catchy jingles, memorable slogans, and powerful imagery that remained within the audience.

Coca-Cola’s “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: mygraphx via pixabay

In January 1971, while waiting on a flight to London, Bill Backer, creative director at the advertising agency McCann Erickson, which was handling the Coca-Cola account, scribbled that he would ‘like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.’

This Coca-Cola campaign is the epitome of equality during social upheaval. The ad’s dramatic inclusion of a blend of people in the video and song, each sharing a Coke, proved to be so culturally significant that it also symbolized peace and connection.

Volkswagen’s “Think Small” Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: freakofnurture via Wikimedia Commons

Volkswagen’s ‘Think Small’ was a successful marathon marketing campaign that utilized reverse psychology, catchy taglines, and a focus on style to crack consumers’ perceptions and train people’s mindsets toward advertisement. The campaign turned style on its head, arguing that a great car must neither be big nor expensive.

American Express Do You Know Me? Campaign

17 Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credits: inkdrop via 123rf

American Express used its connections with celebrities to promote its ‘Do you know me?’ platform of ads. The campaign encouraged an American Express card to be known as something to own, highlighting the prestige of Mikhail Baryshnikov, the dancer, while broadcasting the message that being in the club is the mark of the exclusive few.

It mastered the art of star power to inspire people to ‘aspire’ to card status, building the brand and leveraging the cardholder base in the financial space.

Revlon’s “Charlie” Perfume Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: Hex via Wikimedia Commons

In the ’70s, Women’s Empowerment and Independence were in full swing, and Revlon fronted it with their “Charlie” campaign. A Carleton University-published study reported that Revlon’s approach connected with the developing girls’ liberation wave and redefined wonder promoting by focusing on career-bound girls.

Life Cereal’s “Mikey Likes It” Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: Sgconlaw Wikimedia Commons

The Life Cereal campaign—then known as the “Mikey Likes It” campaign—featured a young boy named Mikey whose image depicted him as a picky eater. The idea was that even Mikey liked the cereal, and its taste appealed to a broader audience.

However, this successful campaign ran for over a decade and turned into a widespread cult phenomenon with the catchphrase ‘He likes it! Hey Mikey!’ Some of it was ingrained in many people’s minds.

Alka-Seltzer’s “I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing”

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Photo Credit: I G/Wikimedia Commons

Copywriter Howie Cohen’s coinage—“I can’t believe I ate the whole thing”—invented itself in one of advertising’s most successful campaigns: The ’50s ‘I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Alka-Seltzer Campaign.

‘Catching up’ with the feeling of overeating and now needing to be soothed, the phrase struck a chord with audiences, a process that, combined with the agency Wells Rich Greene, securely ranked the line on the list of most memorable ad slogans in history.

Mcdonald’s “You Deserve a Break Today”

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: robertnelson via Wikimedia Commons

The bulk of the campaign was a marketing strategy to convincingly tie the brand to relaxation and swift escape from day-to-day pressures, even if that meant relegating the implications of fast-food workers’ working conditions and fast-food-induced health worries to the background.

Baer Performance Marketing said it targeted people who believe they are busy and run down. However, it was a clever way to promote McDonald’s as a convenient ‘break’ option without tackling the complexities of fast food culture.

Heinz Ketchup’s “Anticipation” Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Photo Credit: Deepsonic/Wikimedia Commons

The campaign’s essence was that waiting is worth it and that all good things are thick and rich, like Heinz Ketchup. The music matched: Carly Simon’s song “Anticipation” played as actors waited for ketchup sauce to splash over the top of the burgers and fries in the commercials. 

The campaign was certainly one of the most notable advertising campaigns and helped establish Heinz’s brand image as a premium product. 

Avis “We Try Harder” Slogan

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: robertnelson via Wikimedia Commons

A marketing strategy that leveraged the company’s number two car rental company was Avis’s ‘We Try Harder’ slogan campaign. Hertz was their market leader, so essentially, they were saying that because they won’t be the biggest, they’ll put in extra effort to provide superior customer service and win over customers with an effort better than their competitor’s.

This tactic was very successful. It turned Avis’s perceived disadvantage into a marketing message, gave it a strong customer-focused reputation, and helped it gain market share.

Kodak “Share Moments, Share Life”

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit:vichie81 /Depositphotos

A Kodak marketing strategy, ‘Share Moments, Share Life,’ highlighted people’s emotions toward photography. It showed us how to share life with the people we love by capturing everyday moments with a Kodak camera.

This emotional appeal solidified the brand name Kodak as synonymous with photography as the black-and-white photograph itself.

Old Spice’s “Mark of a Man”

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: Shinya Suzuki/Flickr

The “Mark of a Man” was Old Spice’s attempt to create a marketing strategy for Old Spice, making it worthy of being the men’s grooming product of choice. It said that using Old Spice is a man’s masculinity and traditional values.

This was done by creating the ‘manly man’ archetype in fragrance advertising, which tended to lead consumers to think they could become that man, the manly man. Ads by Old Spice redefined masculinity by how males groom themselves.

Tootsie Pop “How Many Licks?” Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: macyespr/pixabay

Tootsie Pop’s whimsical campaign of the ear slimed asked, ‘How many licks take to get to the center? ‘The ad included an owl famous for attempting to lick its way through a candy Tootsie Pop to its center but giving up first to bite it.

This is supposed to imply that no one knows how many times it takes and that the question is meant to be fun, a game with no correct answer.  NPR reports that Mathematicians at New York University have come up with an answer: 1,000. 

Burger King’s “Have It Your Way”

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: Hautbois Wikimedia Commons

The launch of Burger King’s “Have It Your Way” campaign revolutionized fast food from food with a side of needs to food with a side of wants. The company expressed its stance on customers’ desires to create their orders by including or excluding components, so to speak.

This made it the alternative to fast food chains like McDonald’s, which appear stiffer with their menu items.

Marlboro Man Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit:sina gh/Pexels

The success of the Marlboro Man campaign has been connected with lifestyle marketing and the Marlboro Man himself. Philip Morris had a rugged, American cowboy figure to sell to its male customers, Bob Norris. 

The campaign worked poorly in the first year, but by the 1960s, Marlboro had a 25 percent market share.

Noxzema “Take It Off” Shaving Cream TV Ad

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: Jack via pexels

Take It Off’s reminder of humor and sensuality didn’t seize to amuse people in their shaving routine. However, the brand saw shaving as an enjoyable routine by merging a joyful script with the tone.

It also set Noxzema apart from competitors and made what otherwise should have been a drab task fun.

Nestlé Toll House Cookies “Bake the Very Best” cookies

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: Antonio_Cansino via pixabay

Nestlé Toll House Cookies’ campaign was based on building upon the prestige of homestyle baking and the moments in families. Nestlé bypassed objectives by binding baking to brand values of love and togetherness.

Toll House cookies took advantage of the campaign to put them front and center as the perfect place to give the kitchen a dash of heartwarming experiences.

Pepsi Challenge Campaign

Iconic ’70s Ads You’ll Never Forget—Even Decades Later
Image Credit: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

Pepsi’s “Pepsi Challenge” campaign inspired consumers to test Pepsi versus Coca-Cola for themselves. This comparative advertising strategy shifted consumers’ perceptions of Pepsi’s taste, empowering them to reevaluate their preferred brand.

This campaign increased Pepsi’s visibility and credibility in the beverage industry.

DisclaimerThis list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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