Text: “Back then, you didn’t look through your closet for something to wear. You wore your closet. You’ve come a long way, baby.”
Find your voice with Virginia Slims.
This is a Virginia Slims ad from 1978. The picture above is of a woman hanging laundry out to dry and the text says, “Back then, every man gave his wife at least one day a week out of the house. You’ve come a long way, baby.”
I’m using this when I talk about the commodification of the women’s movement and how freedom has been turned into something you buy. I also like the vague “back then,” used to make now seem so much better in every way.
Comments 6
Sociological Images » “DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT?” — August 5, 2008
[...] her will (she goes after what she wants) to pursue make-up, of all things, reminds me of these, these, this, and these examples of the commodification of feminism. addthis_url = [...]
Sociological Images » MARKETING WITH MULTICULTURALISM — March 11, 2009
[...] more obviously trivializing. Consider these ads for make-up, more make-up; botox; cars and bras; more cigarettes; cleaning products, eyeglasses, and pants; diamond rings; credit cards, cigarettes, and cars; more [...]
Sociological Images » ADVERTISING WITH OBAMA — April 8, 2009
[...] undermine feminist efforts to attain social justice for women (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). Like many of the “feminist” ads, these ads seem to be [...]
Sociological Images » “You’ve Got Your Own Cigarette Now, Baby!” — June 28, 2009
[...] cleaning products, panties, and eyeglasses, washing machines, and, of course, cigarettes (here and here). tags: feminism, gender, history| Permalink| Power And Pan-Ethnic [...]
Navy Women (Re)defined » Sociological Images — September 18, 2009
[...] the use of female empowerment to sell products (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). In all of those instances, liberty or empowerment comes [...]
The Art of Manipulation - The Cockroach Conspiracy — January 28, 2019
[…] would light up “torches of freedom” during the parade to show they were equal to men. Like the “You’ve come a long way, baby” ads, this campaign commodified women’s progress and desire to be considered equal to […]