WandaVision [1] doesn't just imitate the styles and stories of retro sitcoms — it also have era-appropriate "commercials" scattered throughout! Every one of the commercials that's aired so far has a clear meaning hidden within [2] their products and dialogue. Judging by the specific names that pop up during the commercials, as well as the content of their "slogans," it seems like these commercials are manifestations of the defining events in Wanda's life: her tragic backstory [3], her run-ins with HYDRA, her time with the Avengers, and more. As the episode styles get closer to the current era, so too do the references, apparently going in chronological order.
Curious to see for yourself? We've rounded up all of the WandaVision [4] commercials so far. Keep reading for a deeper look at what each of these commercials might represent about Wanda's past and her potential future [5].
Episode 1: ToastMate 2000
The first "commercial" we see is a '50s-style toaster commercial, complete with the "retro housewife" demonstrating how to use it. It's the last few seconds of the commercial, however, that make it clear this is something much more significant. As the toaster finishes cooking, there's a series of increasingly rapid beeps that will be familiar to any Marvel fan: it's the same repulsor sounds that we know from Iron Man's suit and other tech. Just to drive that connection home, the ad reveals that the "toaster" is made by Stark Industries.
Although Tony Stark and Wanda were both Avengers, her connection to Stark goes back much further than that. In Wanda's first appearance, back in Avengers: Age of Ultron, we learn that a Stark-made bomb was responsible for killing her parents many years ago; in fact, it's a desire to get revenge on Tony that leads her and her brother to briefly team up with Ultron.
Episode 2: Strücker Watch
The smoky, '60s-esque ad is more than just an example of era-accurate sexist advertising! The watch is named after Baron Wolfgang von Strücker, the HYDRA villain who used Loki's scepter to experiment on "volunteers" — including Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. It's those experiments that gave the twins their superpowers, while also traumatizing them deeply. The watch face clearly shows the HYDRA symbol alongside Strücker's name.
More curious is the slogan at the end: "He'll make time for you." Does this allude to Wanda carving out her own reality, where time doesn't seem to pass normally?
Episode 3: Hydra Soak
The '70s episode brings back HYDRA again, but that's not even close to the most significant element of the commercial.
"Need a break?" asks the male narrator, to which the "housewife" replies, "You read my mind." Given what we know about Wanda's powers, this could be a reference to how she's "inside" the minds of all the Westview residents, but it also could mean something more sinister.
The other interpretation is that someone else, an outside force, is the one doing the mind reading, and Wanda is represented by the housewife who needs to "escape to a world all your own, where your problems float away." as the narrator says. The entire world of WandaVision [6] is clearly crafted as an escape for Wanda, who's intensely grieving, but this commercial hints that maybe Wanda's not the one in control [7], since "HYDRA Soak" bubble bath is responsible for this housewife's relaxation.
Instead, it's possible Wanda was tempted or tricked by another, sinister entity. The final slogan, "Find the Goddess Within" is particularly eerie, given what happens in this episode. The '70s episode features the birth of Wanda and Vision's twins [8], who, in the comics, are actually formed from the demon Mephisto [9]. Given the odd "goddess" reference in this commercial, it could be suggesting that HYDRA is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to evil entities taking advantage of Wanda.
Episode 5: Lagos Paper Towels
After skipping an episode, since episode four took place mostly in the outside, real world, the commercial returned for episode five, which imitates an '80s sitcom. This commercial is pretty easy to interpret. The "Lagos" paper towels are named after the city where Wanda tried to contain an explosion and instead accidentally redirected it towards a building, where civilians were killed.
"For when you make a mess you didn't mean to," the slogan goes, which seems to accurately reflect Wanda's reaction to the Lagos accident: a devastating mess that happened without her intending any harm. During the episode where this commercial airs, there are a few hints that Wanda is confused about parts of "her" sitcom: she mentions not knowing how the whole thing even started, and she's shocked when a doorbell rings and reveals a version of her late brother on the other side. Could this commercial be suggesting that Wanda isn't as much "at fault" [10] for what's happening as the other characters currently believe?