In the aughts, geekdom was the new rock'n'roll, Pokémon and PS2 kept the kids busy, a website called Amazon had just turned a profit and social media was beginning its bid for world domination. Savor a decade's worth of magazine ads for food, alcohol, travel, auto, fashion, and beauty, fed to a tech-hungry but increasingly anxious post 9/11 nation.

Post-9/11, America's sense of invincibility was shaken. The dotcom bubble had burst, there was war with Iraq, and eco-angst was becoming mainstream, as evidenced by impressive sales of the Toyota Prius.

For escapism, self-expression, and even romantic connection, America turned to tech. Geeks were the new superheroes, and the iPod and iPhone reigned supreme, both commercially and creatively. Social media began its unstoppable rise, with MySpace and Facebook pushing brands to get more interactive with consumers. Prestige dramas-The Sopranos, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad-populated the small screen, while Netflix swapped mailing DVDs for streaming content, the reality TV star was born, and Paris Hilton decreed, "That's hot!".

Amazon and eBay threatened the cultural centrality of the shopping mall, and every famous name from Michael Jordan to Madonna could be found on scotch, sneakers, and scents. Health and wellness fueled the growth of brands like Whole Foods and Lululemon, and consumers increasingly valued experiences, ethics, and personalization.
Featuring 10 chapters covering the full range of advertising, from food and fashion to entertainment, business, travel, and automobiles-with special mentions for the worst as well as the best-All-American Ads of the 2000s captures a time when ads still had the power to sell products and dreams in the millions, but mirrored a nation in the midst of profound transition.

Details

ISBN13: 9783836568029
Format: Hardback
Number of Pages: 640
Edition: Multilingual edition
Publication Date: 16 Aug 2025
Publisher: Taschen GmbH
Publication City, Country: Cologne, Germany
Dimensions (cm): 25.5(H)x19.6(L)2081
Weight (gm): 2081

Author Biography

Steven Heller has produced over 200 books on visual communication and published countless articles in international design magazines. Currently he is cofounder and cochair of the MFA Design program at the School of Visual Arts, New York. Jim Heimann is the Executive Editor for TASCHEN. A cultural anthropologist, historian, and an avid collector, he has authored numerous titles on architecture, pop culture, and the history of Los Angeles and Hollywood, including TASCHEN’s Surfing, Los Angeles. Portrait of a City, California Crazy, and the All-American Ads series.

Reviews

The book All-American Ads of the 2000s reflects the decade in which brands sold nothing less than attitudes towards life... Back then, advertising was still great storytelling, not moralizing. * Welt am Sonntag *
All-American Ads of the 2000s, published by TASCHEN, provides 700 pages of deep insights into American society during those years through numerous advertising motifs. * Stern *
TASCHEN has published All-American Ads of the 2000s. Leafing through it, you are transported back to that decade, remembering its celebrities, such as David Bowie and Muhammad Ali. You remember computers that no longer exist, products that were revolutionary at the time, such as the iPad, which are now commonplace, and TV series that shaped the decade. * Die Zeit *
The book serves as both celebration and epitaph for an era when advertising retained its quality. * Guardian *
Documents some of the most memorable ads from the 2000s. * CNN *
Time capsules that couldn't be more timely. * Vogue *