1928 Aspironal Cold and Flu

This old Aspironal ad was made to convince folks medicine beats whiskey for curing colds. A modern heatmap shows exactly how well their layout worked—and it’s surprisingly smart for the 1920s.

What The Eye-Tracking Shows

People’s eyes first hit the giant “WHISKEY,” then skim down to “Colds and Flu,” then the bottle, and finally the big CTA at the bottom. The design pulls readers through like a visual funnel.

Why It Works

• Big, bold contrast word (“WHISKEY”) sparks curiosity
• Clear headline structure leads the eyes top-to-bottom
• Product image acts as a visual anchor
• Repetition of brand name locks in recall
• Final CTA ties emotion (fear of worsening cold) with action

Examples

• Coca-Cola still uses “always-on” logo placement to anchor attention
• Apple product pages lead eyes from headline to image to buy button
• P&G ads often use a large, emotional focal point to drive visual flow