Father’s Day during the 1940s and 1950s was a time when advertisers pulled out all the stops to celebrate dad in style—and often with a good dose of humor and charm. From snappy slogans to bold illustrations, vintage ads from this era offer a fascinating glimpse into mid-century family life, gender roles, and the kinds of gifts that were considered perfect for the man of the house.
In this post, we’ll take a nostalgic look back at how companies marketed Father’s Day—from ties and tobacco to tools and aftershave.
Let’s begin!
Further Reading: Vintage Photos of Fathers – Part 1 & Vintage Photos of Dad’s Part 2
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.
Brief History of Father’s Day
Father’s Day was founded in Spokane, Washington, at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was born in Arkansas.Its first celebration was in the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Anna Jarvis’s Mother’s Day at Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father’s birthday, the pastors of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June (Continue reading how FD became a holiday here: Source).
Vintage Father’s Day Ads:
1951 ad for “White Stag Sport-Mates…for Father’s Day!”. 1950s summer fashions for men.
GIBSON Father’s Day Cards -1950s
One more 1950s Gibson cards Father’s Day ad. “Brighten Dad’s day with a Gibson Card!”
Source: Etsy-VintageAdCorps
“At home or away..Don’t forget Father’s Day”. 1943 vintage ad for B.V.D. Underwear, Pajamas, Freedom Shirts and Swim Trunks.
Old Gold cigarettes advertisement from the June 1952 issue of Woman’s Day magazine.
Source: Pinterest
“Make your Dad VIP, Very Important Pop of the year!” 1954 McGregor Sportswear shirts vintage ad.
Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages
1946 Seaforth for Men toiletries vintage ad. Shaving, men’s talc, soap and more.
1951 vintage ad for Wembley Neckties. Give “Checkered Elegance, Summer’s newest fashion this Father’s Day”.
Raise your hand if you have given your dad, husband or received Old Spice yourself as a Father’s Day gift? I know my dad got many a gift package from my brother and I in the 1980s and 1990s.
-1950 Father’s Day ad for Old Spice.
“For Father’s Day-Give Eversharp-Schick Injector Razors and Blades”. 1949 advertisement.
1950 Aqua Velva After Shave Lotion. “11 Ounces of Youth for Father’s Day”.
1956 Dutch Master Cigar ad. “Dad would like a day like this every day”.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there that are celebrating! Enjoy your special day.
Thanks for dropping by! Please comment below on anything you wish to talk about regarding this blog post topic.
Liz
