I have a cold and it sucks and I’m trying to weather the storm but as it lingers on and on and on and on I’m starting to believe no end is in sight! So I’m turning to some vintage cold ads for help, well not literally but I thought it would be fun to see what kind of 1940s and 1950s vintage ads for cold remedies were out there when dealing with a pesky cold.

1920s vintage ad for Aspironal: Better Than Whiskey -1928 vintage ad.
1928 vintage ad

Let’s take a look!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

Vintage Advertising for Cold Remedies from the 1940s & 1950s

Vintage Ben-Gay ad. “When Peter Pain smack you with Head Cold Misery….Rub in Ben-Gay quick”.

Vintage Ben-Gay ad: "When Peter Pain smack you with Head Cold Misery....Rub in Ben-Gay quick". Vintage advertisement.

1940s ad for ‘666’ Cold Preparations. “666 Eases these 6 cold miseries quick!”.

1940s cold medicine ad-1940s vintage ad for'666' Cold Preparations. "666 Eases these 6 cold miseries quick!".

1940s ad for ‘Tabcin’, “ease cold misery”. Yup that is me..”Cold Misery”

1940s vintage ad for Cold medication -Tabcin.

1950s cold medicine ad for Candettes… cough-jel is a new way to cough relief.

1950s cold medicine ad for Candettes cough-jel new way to cough relief featuring a 1950s mother taking care of her child.

1950s ad for ‘Dristan’ decongestant tablets.

1950s cold medicine ad -1950s vintage ad for Dristan decongestant tablets.

1950s vintage ad for ‘Smith Brothers Assorted Fruit Cough Drops”.

Such a fun and colorful ad! I feel better already from just looking at it. Is that Abraham Lincoln handing out cough drops?

1950s cold medicine ad. 1950s vintage ad for 'Smith Brothers Assorted Fruit Cough Drops".

1959 ‘Vicks Vaporub’ Cold Relief vintage print ad.

1950s Vintage Ad: 1959 VICKS VAPORUB Cold Relief Sleeping Medicine Medication Health Vintage Print Ad

Source: Etsy

March 1942, Better Homes & Gardens magazine had an article on “How to Dodge a Cold – or Lick One” that I thought would be fun to share here. Hope it helps!

1940s vintage magazine article - March 1942, Better Homes & Gardens magazine had an article on "How to Dodge a Cold - or Lick One"

To end, lets listen to poor Miss Adelaide from Guys and Dolls talk about her cold, brought on by a certain someone not giving her a ring (I can totally see that happening lol).

Question: What do you do to fix up your colds my vintage friends?

Further Reading: Vintage Advertising 1920s -1960s (Archived Blog Posts)

Liz 🙂