Vintage Santa Ads
Updated on
Yep, Santa used to push smokes. These vintage ads show the jolly guy smiling with a Lucky Strike or a Camel pack—proof that brand mascots can shift wildly with the times.
What’s Going On Here
Marketers tapped into Santa’s massive trust factor. If “the spirit of Christmas” handed you a product, it instantly felt gift-worthy, friendly, and safe—even if it wasn’t.
Why It Works
- Uses borrowed trust from a beloved icon
- Wraps a product in emotion and tradition
- Merges habit marketing (smoking) with a positive life moment (Christmas)
- Creates social proof by implying everyone—including Santa—is doing it
Modern Parallels
- Coca-Cola still owns the Santa image 100 years later
- M&M’s holiday ads play the same emotional card
- Starbucks’ red cups cue that “holiday feeling” every November
- Apple’s Christmas spots link tech with emotion, not features
Analyzed by Swipebot
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