Beyond Belief: Racist, Sexist, Rude, Crude and Dishonest - Softcover

"A collection of the most offensive adverts from the mid-20th century, Saatchi guides readers through the changes that have taken place over the past 60 years with regards to equality, drugs, sex and other subjects. Inspired by coming across examples of 1950s ads that were 'in such bewilderingly poor taste', Saatchi, the founder of advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi and owner of the Saatchi Gallery, began exploring further. He said, 'It proved a grimly amusing task to find so many examples that I could collect together; they provide a clear insight into the world of Madison Avenue's 'Mad Men' generation and the consumers that they were addressing.'" --The Bookseller

"...a fascinating coffee-table book. It reveals the lies told in advertising history and implicates the advertising industry of today, even if Saatchi does not admit the latter. There is something of the art collector's eye here too." --Arifa Akbar, The Independent

"I sniggered like a schoolboy while flicking through Beyond Belief." --The Times

Beyond Belief: Racist, Sexist, Rude, Crude and Dishonest is Charles Saatchi's selection of ads created before the industry had a conscience. It demonstrates a radical change in attitudes to women, race, tobacco, size, drugs and more. Saatchi guides readers through seven sections in his inimitable style. He writes, 'In the middle of the last century, marketing men had few qualms about creating brutally offensive advertisements. This doesn't diminish the bewildering bad manners of so much of the advertising, shocking to the point of callousness.'