In the 1950s and ’60s, few things captured summertime joy quite like a colourful ice cream advertisement. With bold fonts, cheerful taglines, and images of smiling children clutching cones, these mid-century ads were designed to spark both nostalgia and cravings.

In today’s post, we’re diving into the delightful world of vintage ice cream advertising—so grab a scoop and enjoy the sweet ride through the past.

And fun fact: July is National Ice Cream Month! The perfect time to celebrate this cool treat.

1950s vintage ad: 1952 Sealtest Ice Cream Vintage Advertisement.

1952 Sealtest Ice Cream Vintage Advertisement. Source: Etsy-RelicEclectic

Further Reading: Vintage Food 1920s-1960s (archived posts)

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase

1950s & 1960s Ice Cream Advertisements

“Here’s our idea of a wonderful ice cream treat…a RAINBOW of flavors!…vanilla, raspberry, lemon-lime! 1959 Sealtest ice cream ad. Now this looks good!

Would you eat this? Or HAVE you eaten this? Or as the contest said, “Dream up your favourite flavor combination..name it and win a year’s supply of ice cream” (so what would be your fav?). Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

1950s Vintage Ad: "Here's our idea of a wonderful ice cream treat...a RAINBOW of flavors!...vanilla, raspberry, lemon-lime! 1959 Sealtest ice cream ad.

Source: Etsy-RelicEclectic

1960 vintage ad for ‘Big Dip Ice Milk’ a low in calorie alternative to ice cream.

FACT: Ice milk has a lower milk fat content than ice cream, typically less than 10% compared to ice cream’s 10-20%. This difference in fat content results in a lighter, less creamy texture for ice milk compared to the richer, creamier texture of ice cream (source).

1960s vintage ad / Mid-Century advertisement- Vintage Big Dip Ice Milk Ice Cream Advertisement .

Source: Etsy-maudesartandprints

Almond Butterscotch Royale flavour from Sealtest. 1961 vintage ad.

1960s vintage ice cream advertisement for Sealtest ice cream almond butterscotch royale flavour -1961 ad.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

1958 Foremost Dairy Vanilla Ice Cream ad. Fun 1950s dessert ideas.

Further Reading: 1950s Dessert Ideas For Your Next Party!

1950s Vintage advertisement: 1958 Foremost Dairy Vanilla Ice Cream Ad. Featuring 1950s Dessert Ideas

1950s vintage ad for Lady Borden Ice Cream, Black Raspberry flavour. Looks delish!

1950s Vintage Advertisement for Lady Borden's Black Raspberry Ice Cream. Mid Century Food / Dessert.

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

1960s vintage advertisement for Borden’s ice cream, peach blossom flavor from 1961.

1960s vintage advertisement for Borden's ice cream peach ice cream flavor from 1961 featuring an illustration of a cow in a 1960s dress

Source: Etsy-PlentifulPages

1950s vintage print ad for “Dairy Queen Tastes Better” and a ‘fresh-frozen strawberry sundae’. Boy oh boy do I have fond memories of this exact sundae as a kid. So good.

Source: Etsy-VintageAdCorps

1960’s ad for “Choco-A-Dot” Chocolate Ice Milk with Marshmallow by Hawthorn Mellody. How fun. I want a dominos dessert!

1960s vintage print advertisement for choc-a-dot chocolate ice milk with marshmallow. Vintage ice cream ad

Source: eBay

1950s advertisement for Walls “brick” Ice Cream featuring a tutorial on how to keep your ice cream firm (the easy way).

1950s vintage advertisement: Walls "brick" Ice Cream featuring a tutorial on how to keep your ice cream firm (the easy way).

Source: Pinterest

“New Treat! Chocolate ice cream with a bright surprise in every bite!”1955 Meadow Gold Marshmallow Mint flavour ice cream.

1955 vintage Advertisement for Meadow Gold Ice Cream Marshmallow Mint Dessert. Vintage Ice cream ad.

Source: eBay

To wrap up this post, I wanted to share a fun photo—not from the era we’ve been focusing on, but a charming snapshot from the 1940s. It features four stylish women in classic summer dresses and fabulous ’40s hairstyles, all enjoying a sweet ice cream treat while holding a Furnas Ice Cream box. You know me—I can never resist a good 1940s photo!

1940s vintage photo of 4 women in 1940s dresses /summer time dresses and 1940s hairstyles posing with a box of ice cream and ice cream bars in front of a car.

Source: Etsy-thewurdemanstudio

I hope you enjoyed this sweet little post! I know I’m already thinking about grabbing an ice cream—anything with caramel is my go-to. What about you? Do you have a favourite flavour? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to share in the comments below!

Further Reading:

Party Foods of the 1950’s
1950s Dessert Ideas For Your Next Party!
Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s (archived posts)

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Vintage souvenir photos from restaurants, nightclubs, and travels became incredibly popular as photography grew more affordable and convenient. These keepsake photos often came tucked inside paper sleeves featuring illustrated or photographic covers that highlighted the venue’s name and location. Not only did they serve as cherished mementos, but they also doubled as clever marketing tools for the establishments.

Today’s post takes a peek at some of these charming vintage photo covers and snapshots from the 1940s.

Vintage 1945 Souvenir Photo Holder from Tom Breneman's Restaurant Hollywood

Source: eBay

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Vintage Souvenir Photos of the 1940s

One of the pieces in my personal collection is a 1940s “Vanity Fair Souvenir” photo card from Toronto’s famous King Edward Hotel—the first luxury hotel in the city. The photo features two couples enjoying a glamorous night out on the town.

This is the vintage piece that was the inspiration for this blog post.

1940s souvenir frame and from Toronto’s First Luxury Hotel, The King Edward (which is still in business today).

1940s vintage image of two couples posing together over drinks at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Canada. They are wearing 1940s fashions.

1940s promotional leaflet for ‘Clifton’s Cafeteria‘ in Los Angeles, California featuring the famous “camera girls” in the cover illustration. These women were in charge of capturing the fun time’s guests had at Clifton’s.

Further Reading: You can read all about one women’s diary (Vilma) about her time at Clifton’s in the 1950s as a camera HERE.

ABOUT: Founded in 1931 by Clifford Clinton, the design of the restaurants included exotic decor and facades that were “kitschy and theatrical”, and would eventually include multi-story fake redwood trees, stuffed lions, neon plants, and a petrified wood bar. Some considered Clifton’s as a precursor to the first tiki bars (source).

Clifton’s operated on a “pay what you wish” policy, especially during the Depression era, ensuring everyone could afford a meal (seen below).

Clifton's Cafeteria, a Los Angeles institution, is a unique, themed restaurant known for its elaborate, kitschy decor and cafeteria-style dining. Founded in 1931 by Clifford Clinton, it gained fame for its "Dine Free Unless Delighted" policy and its dedication to serving the community.

Source: eBay

1940s vintage souvenir photo from Coney Island featuring two men in military uniforms posing with two women in a car. Fun shore leave photo.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos from The Photo Booth & Vintage Photo Booth Images – Part 2

1940s vintage souvenir "sleeve" photo from Coney Island.

1940s vintage souvenir photo from Coney Island featuring two men in military uniforms posing with two women in a car. Fun shore leave photo.

Source: eBay

Nothing says “we visited New York” like a photo booth image of two ladies drinking in a car? ha! Cute 1940’s dresses!

1940s Souvenir photo card from New York City.

1940s fun vintage image / 1940s souvenir photo of two young Women posing in a car holding wine bottles. Cute 1940's dresses!

Source: eBay

A group of Navy men having some fun during shore leave at ‘Palace Bar and Grill’ in New York City.

1940s souvenir photo cover from Palace Bar and Grill in New York City featuring an illustration of a Spanish woman dancing in front of a cocktail.

Source: eBay

1940s Cafe Zanzibar in New York City souvenir photo holder. Inside is a group of stylish Black Women and Men enjoying a smoke together.

About Cafe Zanzibar: Was a popular nightclub and entertainment venue in New York City during the 1940s, particularly known for its association with the Harlem Renaissance and its role as a showcase for Black talent. It gained fame as a successor to the prestigious Cotton Club and was a hub for jazz music, dancing, and theatrical performances.

The cafe featured a mix of live music (including big bands like Louis Armstrong’s and Claude Hopkins’), dancing (including the Lindy Hop), and theatrical performances.

It also hosted renowned artists such as Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, and Bill Robinson, as well as groups like the Delta Rhythm Boys and the Nicholas Brothers. (Source).

1940s Cafe Zanzibar in New York City souvenir photo holder.

1940s vintage photo of a group of stylish Black Women and Black Men having a smoke and dinner together at the famous Cafe Zanzibar in New York City.

Source: eBay

This souvenir photo booklet is from “The Ringside” in New York City. This place was across from the iconic Madison Square Garden, and has a great vintage boxing graphic on the cover.

1940s vintage souvenir photo cover for 'The Ringside' restaurant opposite Madison Square Garden. The illustration on the cover features a boxing ring.

The vintage photo inside features some fantastic 1940s fashions on display, like the men’s ties and all those love 1940s curls on our ladies.

1940s vintage photo from a souvenir card from the 'The Ringside" across from Madison Square Garden featuring couples out for drinks in 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles. Great 1940s ties on the men.

Source: Etsy-HaseleySonAntiques

Beautiful 1940s hats on display on our group of women dining at ‘Restaurant Madrillon’ in the Washington Building in Washington D.C. Love the peacock illustration on the photo cover.

1940s souvenir photo cover for 'Restaurant Madrillon' in the Washington Building in Washington D.C featuring an illustration of a peacock

1940s photo of a group of women wearing various 1940s hats and 1940s fashions (dresses and skirts and tops) dining at 'Restaurant Madrillon' in the Washington Building in Washington D.C

Source: eBay

1945 – Memories of Joker Joe’s at the Typhoon Club in Chicago, IL.

ABOUT: This pre-tiki bar was located at the Southwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Newark Avenue in Niles, Illinois. oker Joe (Joe Siciliano?) was ubiquitous on advertising and apparently liked to throw on a hula skirt and then jump up on the bar and do impromptu dances (Source).

1940s vintage photo of 2 couples at Joker Joes at the Typhoon Club in Chicago IL. Men are in uniform and the women are in 1940s fashions.

Source: eBay

‘Latin Casino’ restaurant in Philadelphia, PA 1940s souvenir cover featuring a photo of a man in uniform and his pretty partner with the loveliest of 1940s hairstyles (including a hair flower it looks like and a floral corsage as well) enjoying a before dinner cocktail.

1940s vintage illustration of a flamenco dancer on the cover of a souvenir photo for a spanish restaurant

1940s vintage photo of a man in uniform dining with a pretty woman with a soft 1940s hairstyle with hair flower and corsage on her lapel. 1940s fashions.

Source: eBay

1940s souvenir image cover for ‘Music Bar Cocktail Lounge’ on Broadway in New York City. “Where Smart New Yorkers Dine and Dance”. The inside photo features a couple smiling while out on the town.

1940s souvenir photo cover of Music Bar Cocktail Lounge in New York City featuring an illustration of people in evening gowns and tuxedos dancing and talking.

1940s vintage photo of a man in uniform and a woman in a pretty 1940s hairstyle pose together for a photo as they enjoy a cocktail at the Music Bar Cocktail Lounge in New York City.

Source: eBay

For my last one, I’m actually slipping in an image and it’s cover from the 1950s for the ‘Rocker-Four Club’ in Tokyo, Japan. “The Showplace of Japan”. The image inside is of two solders (seen below).

The Rocker-Four Club had a short lived history (only open for 6 years) but it made it’s mark in this world and I thought too fun to not share in this post!

1950s vintage souvenir photo cover for the Rocker-Four Club in Tokyo, Japan.

1950s vintage photo of two solider posing together at the Rocker Four Nightclub in Tokyo Japan.

Source: eBay

Below Photo Description: Servicemembers and their dates enjoy the floor show in the Marine Room at The Rocker Four nightclub in downtown Tokyo. The Tokyo Cuban Boys band can be seen playing on the large balcony overlooking the ballroom as the showgirls entertain the guests under the giant painted octopus on the ceiling. The Marine room is one of the two ballrooms at the club.

About the Club: The Rocker Four Club opened its doors July 4, 1952, during the Korean War and in its 6 years of existence was the biggest – and to many the swingingest – NCO club (non-commissioned officers) in the world before closing its doors in March 1958. The Romanesque building with a 58,592 square-feet inside floor space housed two ballrooms, four bars, as well as several restaurants and snackbars. The biggest and most popular club made so much money in its heyday that free-drink and steak-dinner nights became a regular feature (source).

1950s vintage photo of the Rocker Four Club in Tokyo Japan. Servicemembers and their dates enjoy the floor show in the Marine Room at The Rocker Four nightclub in downtown Tokyo. The Tokyo Cuban Boys band can be seen playing on the large balcony overlooking the ballroom as the showgirls entertain the guests under the giant painted octopus on the ceiling. The Marine room is one of the two ballrooms at the club.

That was such a fun post to put together—I hope you enjoyed seeing all the joyful memories people captured!

Personally, I have fond memories as a kid visiting my favourite amusement park and getting a souvenir photo with my brother after a ride. They still do that today!

Did you ever get your own keepsake photo? I’d love to hear your stories—feel free to share in the comments below.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos Archive 1920s-1960s & Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz