This Trans World Airlines ad was probably considered slightly feminist when it was created in 1954. Today, of course, it’s completely laughable. However, back in the 50s, it marked a change in how companies advertised to women in the US. The ad asked women, “Who says, ‘It’s a man’s world?’” as a way to appeal to “modern” women who had more social independence than ever before.
TWA lets women dream big and even consider traveling on their own. Without a man. Gasp! Can you even believe it?! This whole marketing gimmick is obviously ridiculous to anyone living in 21st-century America. Some women would even argue that traveling without a man is a million times better.
America Wants You! (To Eat More Rice)
Obesity has been a problem in the United States, even in the 60s. American diet included potatoes that are high in carbohydrates, thus leading to weight gain that is hard to sweat off. The Rice Council of America published several advertisements to convince citizens to convert from potatoes to rice which is high in fiber and can help with weight problems. Now, this is a good cause; a healthier way of life is always something we should strive for whenever we can, but there are certain...questions about how they deliver this message to the public.
Their way of doing so? Claim that there are no such things as fat Chinese people. It’s true that rice is a healthier side dish than potatoes, but stereotyping a race and being culturally insensitive is definitely not the way to advertise your cause.
Unlucky Tiger Hair Wax
Whoever sees this ad can point out everything that’s wrong about it. To say the least, this hair wax ad is so creepy. What does a tiger have to do about hair wax? There seems to be a reverse role in this picture. The tiger is depicted as the hunter when it’s the other way around in reality. The poor animal is portrayed as a beast when in fact, humans are the ones who invade their territories.
If you think that there could be nothing worse...you are very wrong. Mounting the busts of the women on a wall is such a psycho thing to do. The male gaze exudes the misogynist mentality of the creators of this ad. This ad displays pure absurdity that it even has the guts to say, “Which one do you want?” It’s as if women are not given the choice to say no. Sorry, the gals aren’t naturally going for any guy who uses Lucky Tiger. Not so lucky now.
Come on, Baby, Light My Fire
Who knew lighter fluid could be so sexy? We certainly had no idea until we saw this 1948 advertisement for Ronson lighter fluid. Phew. It’s funny to see how obvious vintage ads were regarding who their target audience was. Ronson lighters aren’t for women. If that illustration is any indication, they’re only for suave, sexy men. Duh.
This flammable company was really out here, making all the average Joe’s think that carrying a Ronson lighter would make them irresistible to women far and wide. Heck, they might even get lucky in another way that’s only slightly implied in this ad. Although we do still see ads targeted at straight men in a similar way these days, it’s a lot more subtle than it was back in the 40s.
Cigar Advertisement
Before the turn of the century, ads of this sort were even more rampant than they are today, and it was socially acceptable to post insensitive and demeaning advertisements about anything that involved women and how they are somehow inferior to men. It can be seen in ads concerning laundry detergents, food helpers, etc. The worst part? Barely anyone said anything about it, not even women!
Today we’re more educated about the harmful social connotations of ads like this: A cigar is a cigar, one expensive stick of cancer-causing chemicals but let's forget about that, right? Women are obviously the bane of everyone’s existence. Then again, Kipling had been oppressed and demeaned by his own wife, so perhaps that’s where his thought process stemmed from. Or perhaps it was his wife’s way of showing him he’s wrong.