Apollo 11, Advertising, and the Media in 1969.

If you are curious about the news and magazine coverage during that summer of 1969, you can explore this short article with great images from the advertising media in 1969.

People crossed the world were obsessed with everything outer space. And this was not lost on the advertising and marketing world. 

It was nearly impossible not to find an advertisement with some reference to Apollo 11, NASA’s mission to go to the moon.

In this article, you will see great pictures of advertisements during this Moon-Era. And make sure you don’t skip past the commercials! 1969 was the year of “moon madness.”

NASA made sure to never endorse specific products, but they generously provided images and never opposed to the commodification of this achievement. 

A high number of corporations presented their services to the Apollo 11 Moon mission. And they wanted to make sure everyone knew it. 

The advice was, ‘if it was good enough for Buzz and Neil, it’s good enough for you too!’

This Omega ad from Town & Country Magazine presented the company’s new tagline, “First watch worn on the moon.” Women’s Magazine Archive database.

Ads from Town & Country, December 1, 1969. Credit: Women's Magazine Archive database.
Ads from Town & Country, December 1, 1969. Credit: Women’s Magazine Archive database.

The famous Del Monte hinted that the success of the Apollo 11 mission was in part due to the astronauts munching on their dried fruits.

Advertisement from Life Magazine, August 8, 1969. Credit: Life Magazine Digital Archive.
Advertisement from Life Magazine, August 8, 1969. Credit: Life Magazine Digital Archive.

Stouffer’s boastfully proclaimed that when you are eating Stouffer’s, you are eating the same food they ate on the moon! A very compelling advertisement, or what do you think?

Life Magazine Apollo 11 Advertisement, August 8, 1969. Credit: Life Magazine Digital Archive.
Life Magazine Apollo 11 Advertisement, August 8, 1969. Credit: Life Magazine Digital Archive.

Space Technology Businesses

Everyone knew that the Apollo 11 moon landing was an extraordinary technological accomplishment.

Consequently, companies made sure to highlight any tech that their products shared with NASA’s prosperous Apollo missions.

The famous company DuPont lets consumers know that their home “can have the same exterior protection as NASA’s ‘Moon Shot’ building.”

Ads from Good Housekeeping, November, 1969. Women's Magazine Archive.
Advertisements from Good Housekeeping, November, 1969. Women’s Magazine Archive.

Sony Corporation is a substantial Japanese multinational conglomerate company with it’s headquarter in Kōnan, Minato, Tokyo.

Its diversified company covers consumer and professional electronics, entertainment, gaming, and financial services.

The picture below is showing that the technology for Sony’s Superscope tape recorders was “out of this world.” Life Magazine Digital Archive.

Advertisement from Life Magazine, August 8, 1969.  ​Credit: Life Magazine Digital Archive.
Advertisement from Life Magazine, August 8, 1969. ​Credit: Life Magazine Digital Archive.

Even the excellent car company Volkswagen shows that looks are not the most important thing with this very original and creative tagline.

Volkswagen advertisement in Life Magazine, August 8, 1969. ​Life Credit: Magazine Digital Archive.
Volkswagen advertisement in Life Magazine, August 8, 1969. ​Life Credit: Magazine Digital Archive.

Space Beauty Advertisement

The beauty manufacturers made sure not to miss the Apollo moon trend. And women’s magazines from 1969 are packed with jewelry, makeup, and apparel advertisements, letting everyone know that space is “in”!

In the August 1969 edition of Seventeen Magazine, this Tussy makeup ad advertises all of the necessary products for the perfect “space face.” Women’s Magazine Archive.

The advertisement above from Seventeen Magazine, August 1969. Credit: Women's Magazine Archive database.
The advertisement above from Seventeen Magazine, August 1969. Credit: Women’s Magazine Archive database.

The famous fashion company Revlon an American-based multinational cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, and personal care company headquartered in and founded in New York City on 1 March 1932 created a new product inspired by the moon, for a “luminesce eye” try Moon Drops. Women’s Magazine Archive.

Advertisement from Revlon an American-based multinational cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, and personal care company Cosmopolitan September,1969. Credit: Women's Magazine Archive database.
Advertisement from Revlon an American-based multinational cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, and personal care company Cosmopolitan, September 1969. Credit: Women’s Magazine Archive database.

Want to learn more about the moon past, present, and future? Ask yourself, did you know that a piece of Earth’s surface was lodged on the surface of the moon? 

I didn’t know either before I read about this book. Check it out this moon-related book The Moon: A History for the Future by author Oliver Morton. 

I hope you enjoyed this article about advertisements during 1969’s Moon mission.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please feel free to browse my website for more interesting facts about the Mission to the Moon and especially Apollo 11.

The new book ‘How We Got to the Moon’ will reveal a stunning look at Apollo 11 Mission to the Moon.

See also my posts on: Why was the Saturn V rocket painted white and black? There’s a pretty cool answer to this one. Find out here. You will be surprised.

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