Flip ’N Style Hairdryer Ad From Teen Magazine, 1972

“Even if you can’t use it, it’s fun to have.” – Panasonic

This 1972 ad by Panasonic is probably one of the most insensitive and offensive advertisements to promote a beauty appliance. Even if the intention was to sell hair dryers to everyone and anyone—even someone who obviously has no of any hair product—just to increase sales, using a woman with no hair then stating the product is fun to have even if you can’t use it is just ridiculous, thoughtless, and incredibly disrespectful.

Maybe (and that’s a big maybe) Panasonic could’ve pulled it off if they introduced their Flip ’N Style hair dryer with a popular male celebrity who just shaved off his hair for the ad (though why would anyone do that?), but to use a bald female model made it look like the electronics company was poking fun at women who have lost their hair to chemotherapy or alopecia.

Making fun of people with illnesses and disabilities is extremely offensive even back then.