1945 Old Gold "Irritated" Ad

This 1945 ad nails one thing perfectly: emotion. The man’s face says it all—he’s overloaded with gifts, a crying baby, and a tugging dog. You don’t even need words to feel his irritation.

Marketing analysis

Old-school ads like this often exaggerated emotion to tell a story fast. In a single frame, you know the problem (stress) and can almost predict the solution (the product that calms or rewards him). That’s visual storytelling at its best.

Why it works

• Instantly communicates pain point through facial expression
• Humor makes it relatable and memorable
• High contrast between chaos and the promised relief
• Strong emotional cue triggers empathy and attention

Examples

• Snickers’ “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign visualizes irritation perfectly.
• Calm App ads show chaos vs. serenity side-by-side.
• Nyquil commercials exaggerate misery to dramatize relief.
• Febreze’s “Noseblind” series uses emotion and disgust to create urgency.