The death of bold advertising (& how to bring it back)

Once upon a time, advertising was unhinged.

And I don’t mean some Nutter Butter, Duolingo, social media mumbo jumbo. I mean, it was as absurd as it was beautiful. Some of the ads from my childhood could genuinely rival an Oscar-winning film. But somewhere along the way, the big, bold, beautiful, bonkers ad died. And what did we get in return? Minimalist, algorithm-pleasing content that feels like it was made in a lab.

So, what happened? And more importantly—how do we bring the magic back?

To get to the bottom of this, I dug into some of the wildest, most theatrical ads from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s and figuring out what worked, what didn’t, and what desperately needs a resurrection. Because well, it’s a damn lost art. Not many people know this, but my grandfather worked in advertising throughout its golden years, retiring as somewhat of a mogul and cherished member 15 years ago.

He’s the reason I got into this industry - but so are the ads I used to watch as a child. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed, my grandfather would proudly show me his work: from Mercedes to McDonald's. I was always in awe, excited to fill his shoes. Only, by the time I found myself in a cap and gown, the industry had shifted. The internet took over, and ads just weren’t what I remembered them to be.

So, let’s look at some of history’s most famous and beloved pieces.

First, the ever-iconic Levi’s “Launderette” ad, circa 1985

A ridiculously attractive man walks into a laundromat, strips down to his boxers, and casually throws his jeans into the wash while Marvin Gaye’s "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" plays. That’s it. No dialogue, no sales pitch. This little piece of magic led to an 800% sales boost of a struggling product in a flat-lining category.

Ads back then had this slow, sensual storytelling approach. They weren’t in a rush. They built tension, they had mood, they knew how to let a scene breathe. Now? We’d get a TikTok version with a voiceover saying, “POV: You’re in a laundromat and hot people exist.”

What needs a comeback? A commitment to aesthetics and atmosphere.

What can stay dead? The weird assumption that men need to strip to sell denim (unless we’re making it truly equal-opportunity objectification, in which case, proceed).

Next, the 90s: when ads were a fever dream

If you weren’t mildly disturbed by at least one 90s commercial, were you even there? Let me introduce you to the Fruit Gushers ad. A group of kids takes a bite of the candy, and boom—their heads morph into oversized fruits like something out of a Twilight Zone episode. Instead of screaming in existential horror, their friends just shrug it off like this is a totally normal Tuesday afternoon.

This was the golden age of advertising. Logic was irrelevant, CGI was used with zero restraint, and brands were locked in an arms race to create the most surreal commercial possible. Did it make sense? No. Did we remember it forever? Absolutely.

What needs a comeback? The absolute audacity to be weird.

What can stay dead? The borderline body horror. Maybe we don’t need kids sprouting fruit heads again.

Lastly, the early 2000s: the era of the (beloved) corporate mascot

Dude, you’re getting a Dell. No, I’m not riffing off a stoner movie about two dudes who misplace their car. These were real Dell commercials, featuring a college bro with frosted tips and the kind of laid-back stoner energy that made you trust his computer recommendations implicitly.

Every ad followed the same formula: Ben Curtis, aka the Dell Dude, casually helping some tech-clueless adult pick out a Dell PC before signing off with his now-iconic, “Dude, you’re getting a Dell” catchphrase.

This was peak early 2000s marketing—simple, character-driven, and built entirely around a vibe. No explosions, no insane stunts, just a chill guy you believed when he told you to buy a laptop. Of course, like many ad mascots of this era, Curtis’ reign ended in scandal. His real-life arrest for marijuana possession got him promptly dropped by the brand. Wow, you mean the guy who seemed like a stoner, was one? Crazy.

What needs a comeback? The power of a good brand character. We’ve seen a little resurgence with Duolingo’s chaotic owl and Slim Jim’s weird Twitter persona, but we need more human mascots we can latch onto.

What can stay dead? The cringe corporate attempts to be way too in touch with the youth.

Who actually had a comeback? Curtis. Appearing on shows like Orange is the New Black and The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel. Dude, you're getting a comeback.

So, what killed the bold ad?

Long story short: ads got safe. The rise of data-driven marketing meant brands started optimising for clicks instead of cult moments. Instead of storytelling, we got influencers holding up products and saying, "This is sauuur goord, you gouys." Everything became about short-form, fast-consumable content. We lost the drama, the absurdity, the fun.

But it’s not too late. If marketers are brave enough, we could absolutely bring back the cinematic, the weird, and the unnecessarily intense. Because let’s be honest—wouldn’t you rather watch a guy fight off security guards for a soda than another 15-second ad telling you to “Click the link below”? Maybe, like the Dell Dude, Big, Bold, Beautiful, Bonkers Ads deserve a comeback too.

-Sophie, Writer