Van Heusen seems to be not contented with their racist shirt ads. They didn’t disappoint because in the 1950s, they released another questionable ad. That time, another sexist ad. First of all, we all enjoy breakfast in bed. When we were kids, our parents would bring our meals in bed. They would give us the perfect breakfast coupled with a refreshing orange juice.
This particular ad just went too far. The man wears a Van Heusen tie and feels so entitled to be served with a breakfast in bed. Her wife is on her knees, serving her husband who feels like “it’s a man’s world.” This ad sends all the shivers to anyone who sees it. Strike two for Van Heusen.
Beer Solves It All
We’ve been talking about women as homemaker ever since. The marketing teams during the time can’t think of any other way to advertise their products than to treat women as inferior. The 1950s was the pinnacle of sexist ads. The man should be the one who finds solutions to everything, the provider, and the disciplinarian. The woman is left in the house to cook. That’s what they always say, women should know how to cook.
In this Schlitz beer ad, they came up with a solution. The woman burns whatever she cooks and cries because she can’t serve for her husband. She is portrayed as a fragile homemaker who bursts into tears because she can’t play her role well. The man, being a problem-solver, says that she doesn’t need to worry because they have beer. A woman can’t burn beer, they say. The thing is, we’ve long been over this kind of dynamics. Anyone can have beer anytime, anywhere. Whether you can cook or not, you can have beer.
Stokely’s Van Camp’s Pork and Beans and Face
Aside from running to marketing agencies, companies can also hire artists to illustrate ads for them. Stokely’s chose the latter. They hired an artist to create an ad for their Van Camp’s Pork and Beans. Nothing is sexist or racist in the ad. Some consumers just had a thing with the boy’s face.
Maybe it’s a way of saying that if you don’t try Van Camp’s Pork and Beans, you’re going to regret it. Maybe the product is so good that the artist has to show it this way. Imagine walking along the food aisle at the nearest grocery store, you might be startled. You would instantly recognize the face of Van Camp’s ad. Don’t get worked up, it’s just pork and beans.
Well, That Escalated Quickly
It’s funny how humor changes over the decades. This ad for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes is over 100 years old, and it certainly shows. The poor clerk is getting beaten over the head by the cook of an establishment because he brought a cheap Kellogg’s substitute into her kitchen. The poor guy never stood a chance.
The violence of this ad (for Kellogg’s, of all things) is shocking to most modern viewers. General society has changed its stance on corporal punishment, and it’s not as widely accepted today compared to over a century ago. Physical punishment was so commonplace that companies were able to use it in their marketing to garner some laughs. Pretty wild.
Morphine Shots for Children Teething
When a child starts teething, that means a terrible day for everyone at home, especially for moms. Kids teething are usually irritable and can’t easily sleep at night. Mothers also have a hard time sleeping because her kids will cry all night. What can a Mom do during this period? In the 1860, Mrs. Winslow came up with a soothing syrup for children teething.
When kids try out the soothing syrup, they would instantly stop crying and feel high. That high is driven by morphine and alcohol. Yes, you read it right. Drops of morphine will ease the pain but can eventually lead to something more painful than teething. In 1906, the US Pure Food and Drug Act forced companies to state the ingredients of every drug they market. The soothing syrup was banned but was still sold in some areas. Everyone loves a good night's sleep but not with Mrs. Winslows.