Sorry but those commercials have no cultural significance. It's just stuff you remember.

I too look back at old ads with fondness and reminisce about the simple times of late 80s and early 90s. However when I recollect how I felt at that time about those ads it's no different from today.

The fondness that I associate with those ads are because they are a window to a world that was simpler and in someways beautiful. Do I miss those times? Somewhat. Do I want those days back? Probably not, because for me (and my generation) the progress has been stupendous.

That sounds to me like you're having an emotional / nostalgic response to things you were exposed to during your youth. And there is some kind of novelty to watching older commercials, no doubt. But IMO that wears of quickly. What's left is capitalistic propaganda often riddled with sexism, misogynism, homophobia etc. which to me is the real cultural significance. Not exactly sure what changed though, wether companies discovered it's more profitable to put on an act of some kind of progressive consumerism, or if it's an actual response to an evolving society.

A friend of mine, from Romania, has fond memories of his youth under the communist rule of Nicolae Ceaușescu, being always reminded how great the leader was and how he admired him as a kid.

He discovered later he was only manipulated into that, but still classified this as good memories.

It's a little bit like those old adverts, it doesn't mean it is a good thing to perpetuate.

After reading the replies, I should clarify something. When I see some of those old commercials today, I too think they are appalling. Fred and Barney smoking Winstons? On a kid's show? 9 out of 10 doctors recommending Camels? Ugh. But they sure are interesting to see again.

Some of the other ads were great. A live report from the computer room where the Remington Rand Univac Electronic Brain was predicting the weather? Awesome! And a big step on the way to today where I can use Weather Underground forecasts and talk to you over radio and light waves on our personal supercomputers.

> I wonder which of today's web ads will achieve the cultural significance of these old classics?

This is very unlikely. Back in the day ads were a form of content in themselves. They had to be memorable to be effective, since your TV did not have a "click here" button. Web ads are more comparable to junk flyers, and I doubt you remember any of those.

As propaganda ages and stops being an effective meme-weapon, the propaganda fades and the art shined through. Old, obsolete ads for dead products that you look up out of curiosity are mostly harmless.

Still doesn't mean I'm not installing and updating my adblocker!