I’m not sure what your go-to junk food is when a craving hits, but for me, it’s definitely potato chips. All Dressed—a classic Canadian flavour—is my absolute favourite. If they weren’t so bad for you, I’d probably eat them every day!
Inspired by this salty craving, I thought it would be fun to dive into some vintage potato chip ads from the mid-century (1940s-1960s). So let’s jump in!
1960s vintage photo (March 1964) of two women with 1960s hairstyles enjoying chips and dip in the living room. Source: Etsy-therescuedphoto
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 the Potato Chip
I was planning to start with a quick high-level overview, but after diving into a few articles, I realized that the story of who invented the potato chip is more complicated than it seems. I know my readers will want to explore that fascinating history in more detail later so I recommend checking out the insightful piece on the origins of the potato chip over at History.com, after your done here.
1940s-1960s Potato Chip Advertisements
“Dressed for fun”. Red Seal Potato Chips, from the Denver Post, May 6, 1962.
Win your very own Elvis Presley Record when you buy ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Potato Chips! 1950s vintage ad (note: I did not write eBay on the image, that was the seller).
3 small 1946 newspaper ads for Red Dot Potato Chips – “Ta-To the Clown recommends” (he was the company mascot).
1950s vintage ad for Jane Parker Potato Chips, “Best of All!” sold at A&P. The ad features ideas on how you can use the chips. At snack time, they make tempting appetizers, and at mealtime they can be a “change of pace in place of potatoes”. For example, “Fish ‘n’ Jane Parker Chips.
Bell Brand Potato Chips ad 1956. “if it’s Bell-it’s swell!”
1961 Blue Bell Bar-B-Q Potato Chips featuring a really fun chip package. So much cooler then bags in my opinion.
Blue Star Potato Chips ad from 1946.
Fun Fact (according to the Museum of Crips – Liz note: I could not 100% confirm this but it’s cool if it is true):
As well as distributing their own label crisps, Blue Star Foods supplied crisps to Leonard Japp Sr, who ran a Chicago-based snack food distribution business, supplying small Chicago grocery stores with a wide variety of goods.
Eugenia Japp, Leonard’s wife, came up with the concept of placing recipes on the packaging to give consumers ideas of how to use and adapt their products. America was in the midst of the Depression, and Eugenia Japp was especially interested in helping housewives stretch their food budgets. One of the recipes she developed, printed on Blue Star Foods packaging, became an American classic: Tuna Noodle Casserole with Crumbled Potato Chips on Top.
Source: Museumofcrisps.com
“You’ll get a bang out of ’em!”. 1956 Laura Scudder’s Potato Chips advertisement. The image of Laura feels very “Betty Crocker” to me. Do you agree?
“Have some chips-they’re scrumptious”.
So this next 1953 ad is not for a chip brand but to advertise Cellophane by Du Pont. The vintage ad then goes into the ways that chips are “extra-wonderful in cellophane”.
According to the Hagley Museum…..
As DuPont began to diversify its product line beyond gunpowder and explosives and into products like Cellophane in the early twentieth century, the company had a need for more advertising. DuPont established an Advertising Division within the Sales Department between 1907 and 1909, which was reorganized into a separate Advertising Department in 1921.
Source: Hagley Museum
So I know I don’t usually venture into the 1970s on my blog, but I could NOT pass up this 1971 print ad from Arnotts Potato chips featuring a mail in for a “Free Recipe Book” featuring….
“Taste-tempting dishes made with Arnott’s Potato Chips”. Enjoy a “Spicy Meat Ring” with crush chips (recipe at the bottom of the ad). There is also “Chocolate Chip Crackles” & “Pork & Vegetables Chinese Style” featured in the retro recipe book. Yum???
Do you have a favourite chip? Or are you more sweet snack person? Share any thoughts on this topic in the comment section below.
Further Reading: Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s (archived) & Vintage Food Posts (archived).
Thanks for dropping by!
Liz
