The 90s might be remembered as one of the last optimistic decades in recent memory. The Cold War ended, technology was rapidly advancing, and some political scientists and historians were looking forward to “the end of history,” or a time of unbroken peace. This optimism was reflected in mass media, like these ten commercials.
Socker Boppers
It would always get stuck in your head right away. Socker boppers! More fun than a pillow fight! These days they don’t really make toys that you’re supposed to use to whack your friends and siblings with. Has the world grown soft, or is punching people not cool? You decide.
Cindy Crawford Pepsi
In this commercial, Cindy Crawford flips her stunning 90s hair and seductively opens a Pepsi can. She downs it elegantly (suggesting supermodels totally drink sugary soft drinks) as two boys look on in awe. Of course, the punchline is that they’re infatuated with the can, not the so-pretty-it-physically-hurts Cindy Crawford.
Connect Four
When you hear the words “90s Connect Four commercial” you probably already know where this is going. The “go for it” jingle, the weirdly haughty talking game pieces, and the general wholesome vibe of the commercial just scream “Saturday morning cartoons” for a whole generation.
Wassup
If you know anyone who grew up in the 90s, you’ve likely heard them annoyingly crow “wassup” when greeting their friends. Don’t judge them too harshly: this extremely straightforward Budweiser commercial, in which pals on the phone just say “wassup,” was all over the place in the 90s.
Fruit Stripe Gum
The early 90s can sometimes feel like “the 80s but with better animation,” and that’s the case with the unusual Fruit Stripe Gum commercial. The chaotic imagery and uncanny animation speak to the general anarchistic vibe of advertising in the era.
Rappin Rockin Barbie
Being into rap, as an ephemeral and general concept, was just “cool” in the early 90s. That’s on full display with the “Rappin’ Rockin’ Barbie” commercial from 1992, which reminds us that there was once a point when hip hop wasn’t the dominant form of popular music.
Bagel Bites
A 1996 Bagel Bites commercial introduced the catchiest jingle ever, “pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at suppertime,” to legions of hungry kids. It could be the main reason why pizza bites are so ubiquitous among 90s kids to this day!
Gushers
The commercials for Gushers in the 90s were decidedly unusual. Kids would toss a few Gushers into their mouths and suddenly their heads were replaced by giant, CGI fruits. And, as you might remember, 90s CGI had an uncanny, unsettling appearance.
Read More: 10 Controversial Cartoons That Could NEVER Be Made Today
The Puttermans
Duracell decided to market its long-lasting batteries in the 90s by using the battery-powered robot family the Puttermans. These robots had huge batteries in their backs and outlived other robots who ran on generic batteries. How… odd.
Read More: 20 Things Only 90s Kids Will Ever Understand
Mentos Mall Commercial
The 1994 Mentos mall commercial is as 90s as it gets. It’s about a kid hiding from his mom in the mall so he can spend time with his friends. What has that got to do with Mentos? Well, nothing. But we’re talking about them 30 years later, aren’t we?
Read More: 15 Things We Miss About Going to the Mall
