Both (here and here) at Found in Mom’s Basement.
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.
This vintage ad reminds us of a time when “gay” meant “happy” and fruit cake wasn’t a joke:
See more gay ads here!
From Vintage Ads.
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.
Evidence that they’ve been trying to sell us high-technology razors since at least the 1930s (source):
Text:
The Schermack Round Safety Razor is the first really efficient and safe razor for women–because it’s round. It fits all under-arm curves perfectly–any way you hold it. No sharp points or porjecting edges. Shaves faster–smooth and clean–yet with no danger of cutting delicate skin. Just what women have long been looking for.
A Splendid Christmas Gift!
As beautifully finished as a piece of jewelry…
A splendid Christmas gift, indeed.
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.
This 1959 ad for an airplane toy throws in girls as an afterthought in the final seconds (“Every boy wants a RemCo toy… and so do girls”). It’s easy to dismiss the ad as quaint and representative of a different time, but today’s advertising seems equally gendered, with girls thrown in as an afterthought (like in this dinosaur toy website) or neatly segregated (see here, here, and here).
Found at Vintage Ads.
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.
The ad below, sent in by Corinne C., expresses nostalgia for “classic” beers and classic women:
(From TimeOut Chicago.)
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.
Rachel U. sent us a 1968 American Airlines ad (larger available at Modern Mechanix):
The text:
She only wants what’s best for you.
A cool drink. A good dinner. A soft pillow and a warm blanket.
This is not just maternal instinct. It’s the result of the longest
Stewardess training in the industry.
Training in service, not just a beauty course.
Service, after all, is what makes professional travellers prefer American.
And makes new travellers want to keep on flying with us.
So we see that every passenger gets the same professional treatment.
That’s the American Way.
Rachel says,
Before I read the headline of the ad, my brain registered the woman as a typical “sexy stewardess” image that seems to be standard industry fare when air travel started booming: knees bent up toward the face, one hand touching her face…extremely focused gaze that seems a bit “come hither.”
Of course, that’s what the pose is. It’s just that being sexually attractive doesn’t mean women weren’t also supposed to also take on a caretaking role. It’s one way we’ve constructed femininity over the years: women were supposed to be nurturing and supportive in a “maternal” way, while also sexually alluring enough to keep their men from wandering (because if he wandered, it was definitely their fault for not keeping him happy at home).
Notice also the implicit denigration of stewardesses in general: at American Airlines they get real training, “not just a beauty course.” At first reading that could seem as though they were saying they emphasize skill, not physical attractiveness, but the image makes it clear you can look forward to getting both.
Gwen Sharp is an associate professor of sociology at Nevada State College. You can follow her on Twitter at @gwensharpnv.
At first I thought that this vintage Honda ad was aimed at women who wanted to do lots of “things.” And then I realized, no, despite the fact that all the women look alike, the ad is actually aimed at men who get to have “things,” like “Michelle and Tammy and Alison.”
Selected text:
But what would you rather have? Automatic transmission, air conditioning, and a 400-horse-power engine?
Or Michelle and Tammy and Alison?
More examples of women being conflated with things here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Found at Vintage Ads.
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Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
I borrowed these two ads from Jim Crow History. According to the site, Bull Durham tobacco was among the most recognizable trademarks in the world circa 1900. These two ads include caricatures of “foolish looking or silly acting blacks to draw attention to its product”:
NEW (Dec. ’09)! Pete W. scanned in and sent along a third ad in the series:
For more historical U.S. representations of blacks, see these posts: one, twp, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen.
And for examples of modern reproductions of these stereotypes (literally), see these: one, two, three, four, and five.
Interested in the decision to remove the iconic bull’s scrotum in advertisements? Go here.
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Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
