Kay W. sent us a link to an archive of cigarette advertising and other historical materials. Among the many interesting things there were some internal documents circulated by tobacco companies. I include some below:
Product placement contract:
Targeting youth:
Script for Frank Sinatra:
Directing scientific research:
I think this is a great example of discursive, and other, manipulation. I’ll focus on the discursive. This advertisement is for Dupont and it’s suggesting that Dupont is awesome because it engages in “open science.” See if you can discern, from the ad, what exactly “open science” is:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KynnzHJS-K4[/youtube]
I certainly couldn’t. It has something to do with scientists working together and Dupont tells us it’s responsible for some pretty great things. But what is it? And why do I feel so goddamn good about it?
Well part of the reason is certainly the pretty colors, lovely voice-over, and cartoon-y images… but it’s also the word “open.” The word “open” is pretty much universally positive. It’s like the word “choice” or “life.” These are good words. So if you label something with a word like that, it must be good, right?
Well, no. Of course not. It’s just labelling. Most of you are probably vehemently pro-life or pro-choice and against the other, despite the fact that both labels have comforting words.
Anyway, if anyone knows what “open science” is, I’d be glad to know!
Vintage Ads posted these three ads–one for an electric refrigerator and two for Gold Dust Cleaner–that compare the product to a Black servant.
The copy in the refrigerator ad reads: “And So Electricity Is Made The Willing Servant.” The accompanying image includes three white women looking leisurely and a Black servant.
Similarly, these two Gold Dust ads personify the product as Black twin babies. The motto is: “Let the GOLD DUST TWINS do your work.”
I think these are fascinating in that they draw our attention to whose work technology is designed to replace. Earlier on this blog we’ve talked about how ads have offered to replace women’s work with the market and with technology. In these cases, the market and technology were needed to ease women’s workload (they certainly couldn’t expect their husbands to do it). In this case, Black servants serve to take women one step further from “women’s work.” Instead of replacing women themselves, the product replace the servants who replaced women, making the comparison of the product to Black servants completely sensical at the time.
In this excellently-made 55-minute video, Michael Wesch talks about the way in which YouTube, especially, functions to create community in the post-community era (via Wicked Anomie). It’s a bit too heavy on the feel-good for me, but quite informative and, well hell, it did make me feel good!
Highjive at MulticultClassics writes: “The foreigner is stealing trade secrets. The White man is addicted to porn. And the woman is a shopaholic. Maybe the advertiser’s name should be changed to Stereotypes 360.”
NEW! Jasmine sent us more banal stereotypes! These are for eye care (found here).
Because old people NEVER have sex:
And all black people love the blues:
These three Volvo ads from 1974 (from Found in Mom’s Basement) remind us that this isn’t the first time there was an “energy crisis” and gas was difficult and/or expensive to get. They put this particular crisis in historical perspective and also point to (1) how resistant Americans are to change and (2) how short our collective memory is. That is, the problems we are facing to day are not new, but cyclic, yet we manage to forget crises as soon as they are past and revert to our familiar ways.
The ads also demonstrate the willingness of companies to capitalize on a crisis. See a modern version here. And enjoy the ads:
See also these public service announcements encouraging carpooling during WWII.
In this election, no one wants to be “elitist.” You know, the kind of person who went to an Ivy League, speaks perfect English, and avoids processed foods like high-fructose corn syrup.
Ben O. sent us these two ads, made by the Corn Refiners association, in which two historically marginalized groups–women and blacks–get it over on historically privileged groups–men and whites respectively–by exposing their obsessive-health-food-mania. Ben writes:
…the implication is that critics of [high-fructose corn syrup] HFCS are privileged (white and/or male) people who are condescending to inform black and/or female people that HFCS is bad, although they’re not only paternalistic but ignorant. And in both ads, standing up for the supposed virtues of high-fructose corn syrup appears to be an empowering action.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxH[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ-ByUx552s[/youtube]
Nice observation, Ben!
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Here’s another great one from Elizabeth over at Blog of Stench (image originally found at Ad*Access):
The text:
Send for a FREE BOOK telling about this grave womanly offense. Learn how no other type liquid antiseptic-germicide tested for the douche is so powerful yet harmless! Isn’t it a shame when a woman doesn’t realize how important it is to always put ZONITE in her fountain syringe? Failure to practice hygiene (internal cleanliness) often results in such needless tragedies–homes broken up, few social invitations, the feeling of being shunned without without knowing why. A modern woman realizes how important hygiene is to health, married happiness, after her periods, and to combat an offensive odor even greater than bad breath or body odor–an odor she herself may not detect but is so apparent to people around her. And isn’t it reassuring to know that NO OTHER TYPE LIQUID ANTISEPTIC-GERMICIDE TESTED FOR THE DOUCHE IS SO POWERFUL YET SAFE TO TISSUES AS ZONITE! Developed by a famous surgeon and scientist–the ZONITE principle was the first in the world to be so powerfully effective yet so harmless. ZONITE is positively non-poisonous, non-irritating, non-burning. Remember that ZONITE is SAFE! SAFE! SAFE! to the most delicate tissues. You can use ZONITE as directed as often as needed without the slightest risk of injury. ZONITE deoderizes by not ‘masking’–it actually destroys, dissolves and removes odor-causing waste substances. And ZONITE has such a soothing effect. It promptly relieves any itching or irritation if present. ZONITE gives BOTH internal and external protection, leaving one with such a refreshed, dainty feeling–so c-l-e-a-n! Complete douching directions come with every bottle. Buy ZONITE today! Get it at any drugstore.
So women who don’t douche face, as Elizabeth says, “sexless marriages, social ostracism and general disaster.” I like how horrified the woman in the ad looks now that she’s figured out the cause of all her problems. On a side note, I think this is the only instance I’ve ever seen of a man being referred to as “frigid.”
Here’s another Zonite ad that I found at the Museum of Menstruation (who knew such a thing existed?):
I’m too lazy to transcribe the full text, but it’s basically the same story–if only she’d known about Zonite, she wouldn’t have suffered such social humiliations (and notice the scowl on the woman’s face).
These will be great for illustrating the ways women were (and still are) told they need to douche regularly or they would smell bad, as well as to have a healthy vagina–although the douches themselves often destroyed normal, healthy vaginal bacteria, causing the problems they claimed to solve. I’m going to use these in my women’s studies course in conjunction with our discussion of Joan Jacobs Brumberg’s book The Body Project, which discusses the rise of the feminine hygiene industry and the increases pressure on women to keep more and more parts of their bodies under control, whether through sanitary pads, bras, or anti-acne products.
Thanks, Elizabeth!
In the comments, Abby says,
This also ties into lessons about contraceptive history. Andrea Tone has written about how Lysol (yes, that Lysol) and Zonite were ostensibly marketed as douches for “freshness” but were understood to be useful for preventing pregnancy. If I recall correctly the main era for this was the 1930s, when most contraceptives were illegal. There is a double meaning when these ads say that women can “banish their fears” – not just odor, but also unwanted pregnancy. (Never mind that douching with these chemicals is NOT healthy!)
As an example, Holly Mac. sent in this ad for a Lysol douche:
Text:
A man maries a woman because he loves her. So instead of blaming him if married love begins to cool, she should question herself. Is she truly trying to keep her husband and herself eager, happy married lovers? On most effective way to safeguard her dainty feminine allure is by practicing complete feminine hygiene as provided by vaginal douches with a scientifically correct preparation like ‘Lysol.’ So easy a way to banish the misgivings that often keep married lovers apart.
Germs destroyed swiftly
‘Lysol’ has amazing, proved power to kill germ-life on contact . . . truly cleanses the vaginal canal even in the presence of mucous matter. Thus ‘Lysol’ acts in a way that makeshifts like soap, salt or soda never can.
Appealing daintines is assured, because the very source of objectional odors is eliminated.
Use whenever needed!
Yet gentle, non-caustic ‘Lysol’ will not harm delicate tissue. Simple directions give correct douching solution. Many doctors advise their patients to douche regularly with ‘Lysol’ brand disinfectant, just to insure feminine daintiness alone, and to use it as often as necessary. No greasy aftereffect.
For feminine hygiene, three times more women use ‘Lysol’ than any other liquid preparation. No other is more reliable. You, too, can rely on ‘Lysol’ to help protect your married happiness . . . keep you desirable!
Notice the way in which “feminine allure” is described as “fragile.” I guess just a few years ago that relentless male sex drive was believed to be easily interrupted!
Also note the threat of divorce (and likely economic ruin) and the use of “science” to sell this product.
Ben O. sent in a link to several ads for douches and feminine deodorants (all at Found in Mom’s Basement). This douche ad makes it clear that douching is about pleasing your male partner:
Notice this feminine deodorant is called Pristeen; it promises to help make “girls” attractive:
From the text:
The real problem, as you very well know, is how to keep the most girl part of you–the vaginal area–fresh and free of any worry-making odors…Whatever starts those those troublesome vaginal odors, Pristeen stops them–effectively. And nicely…Why take chances? Starting today, why not make Pristeen as much a part of your daily life as your bath or shower. It’s just as essential to your cleanliness. And to your peace of mind about being a girl. An attractive, nice-to-be-with girl.
Bidette Towelettes promise to give women “all-day daintiness”:
Thanks, Ben!
Kim D. sent us in another example, found at the Museum of Menstruation:
NEW! Taylor D. sent in a link to eleven more vintage Lysol douche ads, including this one:
