This silly publicity photo looks lighthearted and funny on the surface, but it has darker undertones when viewed through a modern lens. Most people in the 50s wouldn’t have batted an eye at an immaculately dressed woman being lassoed by a man with a vacuum hose. Over time, this silly image has transformed into something sexist and demeaning for most viewers.
How many women these days would appreciate getting roped into housework by their husbands or partners? Not very many, we can tell you that much. This vintage ad just goes to show how society’s sense of humor changes as time goes on.
Feminism and Advertising in the 1970s
Plenty of ads in “Redbook” magazine started looking different in the 1970s. Second-wave feminism rose to prominence in the 60s and 70s, changing the societal landscape of America in new and exciting ways. For better or for worse, corporations rode on the movement’s coattails with edgy marketing tactics and new products. This ad for Virginia Slims is a perfect example of how companies did that.
The ad targets the “modern” woman by saying, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” The ad even mentions divorce, which is something people would have never seen just a few decades before. What do Virginia Slims have to do with liberation? Absolutely nothing, but they sure tried to make this ad as convincing as possible.
Companies Used Fur Without a Second Thought
When you hear “Cadbury,” you probably think of the chocolate company that makes Easter treats and has a cute bunny rabbit as its mascot. This well-known reputation makes this old ad super weird. As you can see, the magazine ad features a steaming cup of hot cocoa against a red background. Looks cozy, right?
As you stare longer at the image, you soon realize that the mug is wrapped in a fur stole. Is that…rabbit’s fur? This wholesome ad just got a whole lot darker. This ad came out sometime in the 70s or 80s, and you can tell. Real animal fur has lost a lot of popularity for plenty of valid reasons. We most likely wouldn’t see a mainstream candy company use real fur in any modern-day ads.
Not Your “Clever Girl”
Vintage ads were able to target female consumers by pretending to uplift them while demeaning them, all at the same time. It was pretty miraculous, really. This old paint ad encourages women to paint their own homes, but it somehow sounds so patronizing and demeaning that we’re stunned. It calls the woman in the ad a “clever girl.”
Apparently, figuring out how to paint a wall was considered a feat of the female mind back then. Obviously, we know that anyone can learn how to paint and improve their homes. But back then, it seemed like advertisers didn’t realize that women had critical thinking skills. Imagine that?
That Don’t Impress Me Much
This vintage ad reads more like a Valentine’s Day card instead of a commercial. It’s really novel to see how ads from the 50s created whole stories just to sell one product. It’s kind of impressive, really. In this ad, one woman gets courted by various different men who offer her different desserts. In the famous words of Shania Twain, “That don’t impress me much.”
She’s not impressed until someone comes up and offers her a delicious Fry’s Milk Punch Bar. We’re not going to lie. A chocolate bar with caramel and fudge sounds absolutely delicious. Wait…is this ad working on us? Darn it.