Just listened to part 2. I enjoyed them, but I must admit that a few of these commercials are sad to listen to. Reason: they bring out the contrast between a time when Americans seemed to pull together and support each other—and today, when Americans seem all too often to be at each other's throats.
(Yes, I know this is another verse of a song I've sung before.
)
On a brighter note—well, maybe not that much brighter
—it's amazing how many products are peddled as beneficial for health, especially toward children (surprisingly), and also amazing how many of those same products were essentially sugar bombs and junk food.
But, that was a day when sugar was considered a health food!
Another observation: have you noticed how many speech patterns are ingrained in commercials of that day and repeated over and over? One I especially notice is a second sentence starting with "Yes." (Example: "Americans know that [product X] is the best you can get. Yes, people all over the country depend on...etc." And the "yes" is usually drawn out—"Yeeees,..."
I especially liked the Lucky Strikes tobacco auction one. I think auctioneer chants are fascinating to listen to general, and this one is really smyooooooth...