Perhaps the Dry shaders layered with a normal render? (I know you said it was for an animation but it could be set up as a photoshop action  and run as a batch job on all the pictures - you should render to individual images anyway :)

While I haven't tried to make it look like a 50ies ad, I've used the dry shaders combined with colour several times, they give a very interesting look to a render.

Example: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1268826

A little similar, I made a Photoshop action that gives a more magazine like feel to a render:
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1604337

Not sure if I'm allowed to say it, but I sell the latter one here...

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You just can't put the words "Poserites" and "happy" in the same sentence - didn't you know that? LaurieA
  Using Poser since 2002. Currently at Version 11.1 - Win 10.