AI or the ’80s?! Did This Black Belt Magazine Ad Really Exist?
- Black Belt Team
- 4 hours ago
- 1 min read
In today’s world of deepfakes and AI-generated content, it’s getting harder and harder to tell what’s real and what’s fabricated. With that in mind, we put together a fun challenge for our readers:
Was this ad real or was it created by AI?
Take a good look—cheesy as it may seem, the ad actually ran in several issues of Black Belt magazine back in the 1980s. It was produced for a karate brand called Pro-tec, which specialized in martial arts uniforms and protective fighting gear.
At the time, it certainly pushed the boundaries of what many would consider “good taste.” Loud graphics, over-the-top poses, and a style that today feels almost too surreal to believe. And yet, not only was it real—it was also effective.
People remembered it. The gear sold well, and the brand made a name for itself in martial arts circles.
