Certainly, marketers are an integral part of any capitalistic society. Even the most vital goods and services require publicity to reach consumers. But then there are "direct marketers," those rapscallions who ply suspect products via advertisements mailed directly to your home. They are the spiritual heirs to the snake-oil salesman of yore, barking out the amazing achievements of their miracle products on colorful fliers instead of through megaphones. How did selling preposterous products through the U.S. mail become such a time-honored tradition? Who are the gullible marks who actually buy this undeniable crap? And how did they get my address? To aid in the research of this important subject, we present a gallery of direct-marketing mail-outs featuring products that no one really needs.

Caution: If you are susceptible to mesmerizing sales pitches or outlandish claims, we recommend you go no further!

Send us your ridiculous direct-mail brochures and fliers NOW!

Back to Odd Glimpses

Dingbats by Nick Curtis of Nick's Fonts.