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1957 Plymouth

In his 2012 book Fractured Times: Culture and Society in the Twentieth Century, historian Eric Hobsbawm noted, “In terms of literary pedigree, the invented cowboy was a late romantic creation. But in terms of social content, he had a double function: he represented the ideal of individualist freedom pushed into a sort of inescapable jail by the closing of the frontier and the coming of the big corporations.”

If Hobsbawm is correct, the Western/cowboy boom of the Fifties and Sixties represented, to some extent, pushback against the societal homogenization of life in the suburbs, jobs in offices, and shopping in big plazas. Perhaps.

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As an avid watcher of Maverick, Gunsmoke, Have Gun – Will Travel, and Rawhide, I can say that it is the simplicity of cowboy life that appeals to me. That, and the clearly defined characters who respond to adversity in predictable ways. The best Western TV shows were parables, and watching them was—and still is—catharsis.

It’s easy to understand why advertisers would want to associate their products with cowboys. Once you get past the poor hygiene and complete disregard for personal comfort, what you see is grit, determination, and a uniquely American cultural moment.

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Gathered for you here is a gallery of classic car ads featuring cowboys. You can decide for yourself whether the association with The Old West and dusty trails served to enhance the image of the vehicle presented. The art in these ads, for the most part, is wonderful. Enjoy!

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1911 Pierce-Arrow

1911 Pierce-Arrow Ad

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1932 Dodge

1932 Dodge Ad

1937 DeSoto

1937 DeSoto Ad

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1942 DeSoto

1944 DeSoto Ad featuring 1942 DeSoto

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1946 Chevrolet

1946 Chevrolet Ad

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1957 Avis Rent-A-Car

Avis ad featuring a 1957 Ford

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1957 Ford Ranchero

1957 Ford Ranchero Ad

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1957 Plymouth

1957 Plymouth Ad

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1957 Pontiac

1957 Pontiac Ad

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1960 Buick

1960 Buick Ad

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1960 Rambler

1960 Rambler Ad

1961 Mercury Comet

1961 Mercury Comet Ad

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1964 Buick Wildcat

1964 Buick Wildcat Ad

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1970 Dodge Adventurer

1970 Dodge, Don Knotts, Dodge Ad, Dodge Adventurer,

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1979 Ford Ranchero

1979 Ford Ranchero Ad

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1984 Nissan Pickup

1984 Nissan Ad

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Gallery of Cowboys in Classic Car Ads

Written by: Tom Appel on September 14, 2020.

1988 Pontiac Bonneville SSE

By 1988, light-duty trucks—a category which includes pickups, minivans, and SUVs—accounted for roughly one third of new-vehicle sales. At the time, the popularity of trucks seemed scandalous to many in the automotive media, most whom wagged a stern figure at automakers, warning that a sudden surge in the price of gas would leave dealers with lots full of unsellable product.

And while a brief spike in gas prices around the turn of the 21^st Century did, briefly, suppress the public’s interest in SUVs and crossovers, three decades later “trucks” are selling better than ever. In fact, during the first two months of the COVID-19 shutdown, crossover sales accounted for as much as 80 percent of what sales there were during that time.

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Let’s return to 1988 and spend a little time with the sedans of the day. Collected here for you are 16 vintage print ads and one pretty entertaining TV commercial. If you remember spending time in one of these cars, tell us about it. The place to leave comments is down below.

More classic car ads