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These tear-jerking Super Bowl commercials turned seconds of screen time into national experiences that made millions of viewers reach for tissues between plays.

Cars aren’t a piece of fruit, so how did they come to be associated with lemons? Discover how this slang term got adopted in the automotive world and what it really means.

Some of the products offered up for sale in the catalogue were downright dangerous.

How did a pompom with googly eyes go from cheap toy, to marketing tool, to Dutch cultural phenomenon?

The McDonald’s mascot has been keeping a low profile for years. Some people think they know why.

Vlasic has used a stork to market its pickles for decades. But how did a bird known for bringing babies suddenly start selling pickles?

How did daytime dramas like “Guiding Light” and “General Hospital” become known as “soap operas”? It's all thanks to commercials.

The days of police badges and lightsaber spoons lurking in boxes are over. Kids now get QR codes. What happened?

More than a century ago, Christian health gurus invented cereal to promote a healthy lifestyle free of sin. Little did they know, their creation would eventually be used to promote everything from radio and cartoons to Mr. T and tooth decay.

The middle-aged Mr. D promoted Rax Roast Beef by complaining about his mid-life crisis and nursing a hangover.

One throwaway comment turned into a long-lasting Super Bowl tradition.

Since 1989, USA Today has asked viewers to vote on the best Super Bowl ads. Here’s a look back at the winners.

The horses are an iconic feature in many Super Bowl commercials.

See if your knowledge of fast food advertising is super-sized.

For close to 20 years, Nick gave kids a chance to indulge in toy greed. Not everyone came out unscathed.

Mary Janes have an early-20th-century comic strip to thank for their name.

Its political legacy began during the Iran hostage crisis, but other kinds of October surprises had been happening for decades.

From loving tributes to the genuinely bizarre, here are some of our favorite Halloween commercials from decades past.

The cemetery failed to interest the public until it started seeking out famous corpses.

The answer depends on where you hope to live.

Shoppers have been referring to Target as ‘tar-jay’ for over 60 years.

More From the Culture Section

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We're looking into the how and why a trend of drinking alcohol out of shoes came about.

From honey butter chips to mango gummies, these discontinued Trader Joe’s items are the ones shoppers are desperate to see back on shelves.

From the birthplace of St. Patrick to the color green, several popular myths actually have little to do with the true origins of the holiday.

Some of your favorite St. Patrick's Day traditions might actually have their roots outside of Ireland.

A folklorist explains why one of the world’s most famous unlucky days still has such a hold on so many of us.

How timing, psychology, and a genuine love of scary movies made 'Scream' an enduring phenomenon.

After 60 years, the rare Year of the Fire Horse returns, carrying superstition of a 'curse' and historical significance that deserves a closer look.

From street eats to Michelin-star meals, these foodie favorites are worth every mile traveled, especially in the eyes of Gordon Ramsay.