The 50s in the Western World were almost the apogee of misogyny and masculine domination. According to Jean Kilbourne, the focus of previous female advertising was a fabricated patriarchal caricature (TED 03:15–05:21). A woman is trapped in a world of masculine dreams in the natural sense, in addition to having feminine traits. In the 1950s, the idea of the typical American housewife was a “popular fiction,” but the truth was much different. These commercials mirrored the sponsors’ perceptions of the country or what they believed it should be. As a counterargument, one can note the fact that the position of the lecturer does not correspond to modernity. Within the framework of the historical and cultural-anthropological process, the representation of women was very sexist and objectified.
The historical context of the 50s should be taken into account as the fact that in those days, advertising was ultra-patriarchal. In my opinion, the lecturer has experience in life and work in the topic she is talking about, and I believe her position is highly valid. The society of those years was indeed incredibly sexist and marginalized women, alienating them in a way created by men (Reichl et al. 14). However, in our time, it can be seen that with the gradual disappearance of female objectification, its male variety also appears. Strangely, masculinity and patriarchal norms shackle not only women but also men. The objectification of athletic bodies, chiseled jaws, and certain external and stereotypically masculine personality traits is as much a problem as misogyny and sexism against women.
Despite this, advertising in the 1950s tended to target women with all home items, giving society a chance to reinforce gender-normative behavior (Montes 171). As discussed before, advertisements for products that make jobs more convenient or effective inevitably target women (Ruggs et al. 31). General Electric’s Roll-Easy vacuum is one illustration. A house cleaner is a perfect example of an advertisement aimed only at a female audience and promoted as more straightforward to operate and more efficient. The advertisement’s picture of a gorgeous woman using her new, effective vacuum is as predicted. In the same way that the Western culture of those years was detached from the natural feminine image, a housewife in a vacuum cleaner advertising is as well.
In recent decades, advertisements from major businesses have drawn consumers from disadvantaged populations. It is evident from current advertisements for underrepresented groups that women were formerly included in these categories. A captive of her image, manufactured by male fantasies and masculine needs, an alienated woman has nothing to do with a genuine woman. It is crucial to comprehend the factors that affect how consumers react to advertisements for groups that have typically been left out of marketing campaigns (Ruggs et al. 23). It may be anticipated that customers in the target market may feel uncomfortable if the picture of a group disagrees with their notions about the subject, concept, or social groupings in advertising, even if consumers may desire to buy companies that promote their values on human rights and equality.
Consumers may react negatively to advertisements that stir up internal debate, among them more so than those that feature a more conventional role model (Ruggs et al. 23). However, early research suggests that employing marginalized group models rather than more conventional ones may be more successful (Ruggs et al. 24). It works if the pictures do not interfere with the target audience’s predetermined perceptions. Advertising is one of the most potent influences in today’s world and can help shape many people’s minds, so it is hard to disagree with Jean Kilbourne’s point of view. Given that there is an argument that the representation of a woman in those realities is usual within the context of the development of society, this take is invalid.
Works Cited
Montes, Antonia. “Gender Stereotyping and Retro-Sexism in Advertising Discourse from a Postfeminist Perspective.” Feminismos, no. 38, 2021, p. 177. Crossref.
Reichl, Arleigh J., et al. “Latent Sexism in Print Ads Increases Acceptance of Sexual Assault.” SAGE Open, vol. 8, no. 2, 2018, p. 215824401876975. Crossref.
Ruggs, Enrica N., et al. “The Effect of Traditionally Marginalized Groups in Advertising on Consumer Response.” Marketing Letters, vol. 29, no. 3, 2018, pp. 319–35. Crossref.
TED. “The Dangerous Ways Ads See Women | Jean Kilbourne | TEDxLafayetteCollege.” YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 2014.