Vespa Just Turned 80, And Look At These Charming Ads From Its Past

In 2026, we're so surrounded by advertising that it can be hard to remember when ads could be fun, cute, and charming. But Vespa's totally were!

Photo by: Vespa

Janaki Jitchotvisut

By: Janaki Jitchotvisut

Apr 27, at 7:10am ET

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The worst thing any advertisement of any era can be is forgettable.

Ideally, the entire purpose of advertising is to get whatever thing is being sold to you to stick in your mind. Hopefully, it'll do so because you want to learn more about it, or you want to buy it/experience it/partake in it somehow. Maybe it'll make you feel good, or if it can't do that, it'll shock you somehow so it sticks in your mind that way.

In case you weren't aware, the world's favorite scooter brand, Vespa, just turned 80. No, really; April 23, 1946 was the magical day this charming little wasp of a scooter entered the world, and so far, has never left it.

To celebrate, it's doing multiple things. One is a release of two special 80th Anniversary scooters in 2026, both with special paint and wheels harking back to the beginning. And another is showing off some of the choicest pieces from its global advertising history. Dopamine hit, here we come! Maybe not as much as actually riding a Vespa would be, but it's a pretty good one for a screen!

Vespizzatevi (2020)

Photo by: Vespa

I mean, seriously, no matter what kind of a day you've been having, how you can see some of these advertisements and not at least crack a smile is beyond me. Who needs champagne and caviar and yachts when you can have a brightly colored Vespa and a picnic in the country? That's the good life, right there!

Second Car (1964)

Photo by: Vespa

Over half a century after this ad was dreamed up, I don't know about you, but I'm inclined to agree. Maybe your second car SHOULDN'T be a car. Now, as a person who has also long straddled the line between being both a scooterist and a motorcyclist, I've always found it a bit silly that there's a stigma attached to riding either. Like what you like; ride your ride; ride all the things if it makes your little heart happy! But alas, I don't make the rules, so you can also do you, and live up to whatever standards you feel you need to. The world is the world, and I can only affect so much of it, you know?

Whoever wrote the text for this ad does have a point, though; as I said above, it's hard to get mad (or stay mad, if you're already mad) when you look at a Vespa. Did Corradino D'Ascanio know what he was doing when he first came up with the iconic design that would go on to define the Vespa brand for pretty much ever? I can't say for sure, but the effect is still undeniable, even close to a century after the fact.

I mean, you'll definitely notice if it's missing.

If Only We Had A Vespa (1962)

Photo by: Vespa

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The ad above might be my favorite, because it's so cute and clever I could cry. Simple, relatable, adorable, and you can instantly picture what it's talking about even though there are zero adorable scooters in the frame. Chef's kiss, ad designer and team from 1962!

There are many more, and we should be sharing some on our social media pages shortly if you need a quick hit of joy. I, for one, am glad Vespa has been around, and that it continues to be around. Long may they vroom!