The original tagline was “often a bridesmaid,” not “always a bridesmaid,” which made it technically more accurate than the version we remember today. Edna and Katherine Heigl were frequently bridesmaids, but they weren’t always bridesmaids; they were only bridesmaids at weddings.
Here’s another installment of the series, from 1956:
Keep in mind that 30 years had passed since this campaign began, but other than hairstyles, apparently nothing had changed in the world. Ad agencies shilling products totally unrelated to marriage would shift to messages other than “this will help women get married” only when the revolution of the 1960s came, causing a major shakeup in the staff of Sterling Cooper.
For more on the Listerine conspiracy, check out:
When Medical Marketing Fails, Create Something?
Invent a Disease, Then Cure It
5 Awful Things Nobody Tells You About Being an Actor
Follow Ryan Menezes on Twitter for more stuff no one should see.
Related: Bride Turns Her Mother’s Wedding Gown Into Wedding Night Lingerie
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