Halloween Ads From the Past

Given how much of a role trick or treating plays in the modern day celebration of Halloween, most people probably think of ads for candy when they think of the holiday. As the celebration of Halloween grew in the 20th Century, companies would capitalize on Halloween to advertise products that I doubt many would associate with the day. Here are a few ads from the past for products that really wouldn't seem to have much to do with Halloween.

Hot dogs are not the first food to come to mind when it comes to Halloween, but for a portion of the 20th Century certain people wanted them to be. In the 1940s makers of Skinless Frankfurthers or Wieners created their own mascot, the Weeny Witch, and then spent a few decades trying to convince people to incorporate hot dogs into their Halloween celebrations. In some ads they even encouraged Halloween games involving hot dogs, such as "bobbing for franks..."

This ad for Lucky Strike cigarettes not only incorporates Halloween imagery in the form of a jack o'lantern, but references to the U.S. Navy football team and encourages people to buy U.S. Defence Bonds.

Like cigarettes, beer is not exactly something one necessarily associates with Halloween. That didn't stop Schlitz from including Halloween imagery in this 1956 ad.

Coffee is not necessarily associated with Halloween either. Regardless, this ad for Chase & Sanborn Instant Coffee from 1956 uses Halloween imagery.

Here is an ad for Royal Crown Cola (also known as RC Cola) from 1961.