Florida’s tourism industry has always relied on eye-catching advertisements to lure visitors from across America. From the 1950s through the 1980s, these marketing campaigns showcased a very different era in American culture and values.
Looking back at these vintage ads today reveals just how dramatically our societal norms, safety standards, and environmental awareness have changed over the decades.
1. “Come To Florida, Where Winter Never Comes!” (1950s)
Snowbirds flocked south after seeing these iconic ads featuring families in swimsuits building sandcastles while surrounded by piles of northern mail showing blizzard conditions. The stark contrast between snowy landscapes and palm-lined beaches was irresistible to frost-weary northerners.
Brochures often showed before-and-after photos: a man shoveling snow versus the same man lounging on a beach chair. While hotels and travel agencies found clever ways to contrast Florida’s warmth with northern cold, certain marketing tactics from that era would be viewed differently today.
2. “Girls! Girls! Girls! Florida’s Beaches Are Calling” (1960s)
Madison Avenue’s approach to selling Florida vacations in the 1960s would make modern marketers cringe. Billboards and magazine spreads featured rows of bikini-clad women posed like decorative objects against beach backdrops, explicitly targeting male travelers.
Cocktail lounges and beach clubs distributed promotional materials highlighting female staff as attractions themselves. Some marketing campaigns for Miami hotels focused heavily on presenting bikini-clad staff and promoted swimsuit contests as key attractions, using objectifying language that would be unacceptable today.
3. “See Florida Before Your Kids Do” (1970s)
The generation gap was marketing gold for Florida’s retirement communities. These ads specifically targeted empty-nesters worried about the youth counterculture, promising peaceful communities free from long-haired hippies and rock music.
Brochures showcased golf courses, quiet beaches, and adults-only pools. The not-so-subtle message? Florida offered sanctuary from America’s changing social landscape.
While catering to retirees and those seeking a quieter environment, advertising for Florida’s retirement communities and other attractions used messaging that reflected the generation gap of the era, focusing on peaceful communities away from the youth counterculture.
4. “Disney Isn’t The Only Magic In Florida” (1970s)
When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, smaller attractions scrambled to stay relevant. Weeki Wachee’s mermaid shows doubled down on their “real magic” approach with ads showing performers breathing underwater without “Hollywood tricks.”
Cypress Gardens countered with water ski pyramids and Southern belles in hoop skirts. Gatorland promoted wrestling shows where trainers performed increasingly dangerous stunts.
Silver Springs glass-bottom boats advertised “nature’s television” in an era when TV was still relatively new – complete with guides who would feed the wildlife to guarantee appearances for tourists.
5. “Tan All You Want, We’ve Got The Sun To Spare” (1960s)
Long before skin cancer awareness campaigns, Florida tourism celebrated unprotected sunbathing as the ultimate vacation goal. Magazine ads featured deeply bronzed models applying tanning oil with carefree abandon, promising “the perfect souvenir – a golden tan that lasts for weeks!”
Hotels advertised poolside tanning beds for “double the rays” and rooftop sundecks designed to maximize exposure. Sunburn was portrayed as merely the first step to a “healthy glow.”
Beach rental shops offered metal reflectors to concentrate sunlight on your face – products that dermatologists today would consider downright dangerous.
6. Florida’s Family-Friendly Paradise (1950s)
This charming 1950s advertisement captures Florida as the quintessential family vacation destination. The cheerful scene of a family fishing and enjoying the beach reflects the postwar era’s emphasis on wholesome family values and outdoor leisure. With its bright colors and joyful expressions, the ad invites families to experience the warm sun, sandy shores, and fun-filled summers that only Florida could offer.
As more American families sought affordable and convenient vacation spots, Florida marketed itself as the ideal getaway; promising relaxation, recreation, and quality time together.
7. The Happiest Holiday Under The Sun (1950s)
This vibrant 1950s advertisement captures Florida’s sunny allure as the ultimate holiday destination for families and fun-seekers alike. Promising the “happiest holiday under the sun,” the ad highlights Florida’s endless beaches, warm climate, and joyful atmosphere. The imagery of smiling vacationers enjoying beach activities reflects the postwar American ideal of carefree leisure and family bonding.
By emphasizing happiness and sunshine, Florida positioned itself as a place where visitors could escape everyday worries and create lasting memories.
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