Ah, the 1990s. Not yet seen in the retro-ironic light that has washed over the ?80s, and yet they?re now officially a generation ago and things really were different then. Advertising is nothing if not a cultural barometer, and this roundup of ads from the ?90s provides a good indication of which way the winds blew.
To realize how long ago it was, note the ads from relatively newfangled Japanese luxury-brand startups Infiniti and Lexus. We also see a last gasp from Alfa Romeo (for a while anyway) and the introduction of a new sports-car icon, the Mazda Miata. Some well-known campaigns from the era include Porsche?s, which combined high-art photography with minimal copy, Nissan?s appeals to dog lovers, and a cartoon camel selling smokes. Note: You can click or tap the ads to enlarge.

 
Cincinnati Microwave Communications ? January 1990

 

 
Infiniti ? April 1990
 

 
READ MORE: 44 of the Most Bodacious Car Ads of the 1980s
 

 
Chevrolet Caprice ? May 1990

 

 
Alfa Romeo ? July 1990

 

 
Mazda Miata ? July 1990

 

 
Lexus GS ? March 1994

 

 
Dodge Neon ? April 1994

 

 
READ MORE: Our Original 1994 Dodge Neon Road Test
 

 
Joe Camel ? April 1994

 

 
Chevrolet Impala SS ? April 1994

 

 
READ MORE: Our Original 1994 Chevrolet Impala SS Road Test 
 

 
Nissan Maxima ? July 1994

 

 
Porsche 911 Turbo ? April 1...