A wry examination of the nature of television commercials, our most potent advertising medium, as seen by the ad men and producers who make them. During the production of laxative and cosmetic commercials ad men voice strong opinions both justifying and condemning what they do. They are sometimes defensive, sometimes more cynical than any consumer.
Content notification
Our collection comprises over 40,000 moving image works, acquired and catalogued between the 1940s and early 2000s. As a result, some items may reflect outdated, offensive and possibly harmful views and opinions. ACMI is working to identify and redress such usages.
Learn more about our collection and our collection policy here. If you come across harmful content on our website that you would like to report, let us know.
How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
001602
Language
English
Subject categories
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Advertising
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Television
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Television advertising
Documentary → Documentary films - United States
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Advertising
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Advertising - Social aspects
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
16mm film; Preservation Print (Section 5)
16mm film; Access Print (Section 1)
16mm film; Limited Access Print (Section 2)