The right images + ironic sentences = amuse & bring the point home
Powerful images depicting a specific event, such as the Battle of Waterloo, or certain discoveries or technological advancements such as the lightbulb or mass production of cars, are coupled with the judgment and prediction by a contemporary on the outcome of the event or the lasting effect of the new technology. Since the judgment/prediction narrated could not have been more wrong the result is comical and amusing making the ad effective and more likely to be remembered.