Women have been subjected to criticism about their appearances and figures for centuries. With the rise of magazine advertisements, this targeted criticism became even more commonplace. Although weight loss and diet ads are still pretty commonplace, one thing we don’t see anymore is cigarette ads like this one from 1939.
Most of us know that the nicotine in cigarettes acts as a hunger suppressant. Back in the day, cigarette companies were able to shamelessly use this as a highlight in their marketing. If women smoked Lucky Strikes, they could lose weight. It’s that easy! Shaming a woman into grabbing a cigarette instead of “a sweet” for dessert seems like a weird and unhealthy approach to weight loss, right?
Singer: The Independence Machine
Sewing machines have always been targeted toward women because of deeply ingrained gender norms and stereotypes. This 1970s Singer ad is strange because it uses gender norms in a way that makes buying a sewing machine sound liberating and patriotic. The mental gymnastics for this ad are wild.
So, if women buy a Singer sewing machine, they can achieve true freedom by staying home and making their own clothes. Make it make sense. Sure, having the skills to make your own clothes is a huge accomplishment, but it’s only freedom if someone chooses to do so. Also, can we just take a minute to appreciate this wildly patriotic outfit? It sure does scream “independence.”
A Spotless Narrative
This 1955 magazine ad for Surf Washing Powder shows just how much advertising has changed over the last 60 years or so. The one-page ad has a whole story on it, including pictures and step-by-step instructions for how to use Surf products. Stopping to read a page-long marketing campaign is out of the question for most people today.
Plus, there’s the obvious sexism that is rampant in this ad. Liz is suddenly the apple of her man’s eye because she learned how to do his laundry. Dude can’t possibly wash his own shirt, can he? Thankfully, Surf makes any woman “his kind of girl.” No thanks.
Color your Hair!
(but not with PolyGlow)
Dyeing the hair is actually a fun pastime. Girls mainly do it to feel more beautiful for themselves. That needs more emphasis not to be misunderstood. Girls pretty up for themselves, not for others, especially not for men. Sometimes though, girls need to pick the best hair color brand to make their hair look softer and shinier.
PolyGlow claims to make a “beautiful change” for women’s hair. It has six shades that can make your hair more vibrant and look healthier. Wait, there’s something wrong about this. PolyGlow says that you should color your hair to catch the guys’ attention. That’s really a turn-off. Might as well find a better hair dye brand, choose one that’s not sexist.
Rest Assured Furniture’s Not-Quite-Assuring Ad
When you come home after a hard day’s work, you’ll surely jump straight to your living room couch (if not directly to your bed). The cushion makes you feel at home, really comfortable. The cover fabric feels so soft. The hand frames are not too high; they can be your pillow. You might even spend your good night's sleep in it. Certainly beats a night in a suite, right?
So, in the 60s, advertisers played a different game when they sell their suites. Take for example this Rest Assure furniture ad. They are referring to the perfect curves of their new couch model. Do you see it? Obviously, they mean another thing with “curves.” Why else would they let a woman wear a sexy dress with a cocktail in hand? Rest Assured Furniture is definitely selling another thing aside from their couch and suite. One more thing, would you even buy that unattractive couch?