William Zimmerman invented the first refrigerator magnet in the 1970s. He took out a patent for his designs, which were colorful cartoons that solely served a decorative purpose. Retro or vintage style is trending in everything from ads to interior design. Play along with this trend and make some funny promotional magnets your client will love to laugh at.
Typically, retro refrigerator magnets show their purported age with popular vintage posters and ads. For example, many Retro Magnets depict the "I Want You" ad that so famously features Uncle Sam pointing at potential Army recruits. This poster was designed in 1917. Another popular design for a retro magnet is Rosie the Riveter and her famous "We Can Do It!" slogan, which was drawn to boost workers morale during World War II. Of course, these iconic images are partnered with vintage movie posters, record covers, classic cars, foods, old-school electronics, and portraits of legends from bygone eras, such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.
Aside from magnets that depict actual retro imagery, there are funny retro magnets that rely on vintage styling to make people laugh. Most often, they partner a very old image with a completely modern phrase