Throwback Thursday: The original 4X4 meme

Have you noticed that many of the old classic 4×4 advertisements bear a striking resemblance to today’s Throwback Thursday memes?

Before we delve into these great ads from time ago, let me give you a rundown of what a Throwback Thursday meme is. This is Wikipedia’s explanation of what a Throwback Thursday meme is (stick with me new models, some of us older and vintage models need some clarification):

"Throwback Thursday or #TBT in an internet trend used among social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. On a Thursday, users will post nostalgia-inducing pictures - from a different era of their life, accompanied by the hashtag #TBT or #ThrowbackThursday. Many posts reflect positive moments, or funny, old clothes, hair and styles. Throwback Thursday can be attributed to any photo in one's past memories whether it be childhood, old relatnioships, past vacations, old songs, or anything that gives one a happy and nostalgic feeling."

Also according to Wikipedia, although the concept of Throwback Thursday began way back in 2006 with a sneaker blog called Nice Kicks, it really started gaining traction in 2012 when the Kardashians got hold of the idea. Can we trust Wikipedia for this insightful knowledge of how our Throwback Thursday Memes started? Probably not. But check these out anyway; they’re too good to be forgotten!

Back in simpler times – when you had to get your 4×4 kicks behind the wheel instead of in front of a screen – newspapers and magazines (remember them?) were chock full of advertisements for new 4×4 vehicles that were little more than memes themselves… albeit with correct spelling and proper grammar, unlike many of today’s Throwback Thursday memes.

There are several old Land Rover ads that show nothing more than an image of the vehicle, the brand name and a catchphrase. Some old Willys’ Jeep ads in the US had a bit more information, but not much.

Of course, some advertisers went the other way, filling the page with text rather than a clever catchphrase. This was either a colourful story selling the 4×4 dream or just a dry description highlighting the vehicle’s specifics. Others traded off the success of off-road racing, such as Nissan Australia’s ads in the 1990s for the GQ Patrol, which highlighted Les Siviour’s racing-winning supremacy.

Either way, nowadays, the majority of these classic ads bear a striking resemblance to today’s Throwback Thursday memes. And yes, they do indeed hit us right in the happy and nostalgic feels.