Automobile Ads: Then And Now

Automobile Advertisements: Then and Now

Attached are two advertisements each showing a picture of a car and two family members. Both ads demonstrate the amount of power allotted to women in the times they were made. Yet the differences in these ads far outweigh the similarities. One-from a 1954 Good Housekeeping-shows a woman being reprimanded by her husband for wrecking their car. The other-from a 2003 Redbook-shows a wife and mother holding her daughter with one hand and an umbrella with the other. One woman is ignorant, irresponsible, incapable, and not in control; the other is competent, responsible, and in control. The evolution of advertising reflects the changes that have taken place in the way American society views women. The ads use body image, body language, and text to encapsulate the stereotypical women of each era; in the 50's, women needed to be controlled, but now women can be in control.

The 1954 ad portrays the ideal woman of that era. This ideal was incredibly unrealistic. She has a tiny waist but large birthing hips. Her feet are small and she's wearing super-high heels. Her hands are petite and feminine, yet she's not holding anything-her purse has fallen to the ground. But, not a hair is out of place, and the elegant skirt and top she is wearing look unharmed, putting even more emphasis on the fact that the man is "wearing the pants." The 1950's society viewed women as incompetent. They needed their husbands to be in control because they could not fend for themselves; when they tried, they "crumpled fenders." Still, the woman in the ad is the ideal woman-Barbie. She is only good for looking pretty and having children, otherwise, she can't do anything right. No wonder she is not able to drive the car without wrecking-that involves thinking-and thinking would be unrealistic for this woman.

It is not, however, such a stretch to believe that the woman in the 2003 ad is capable of intelligent thought. As evidenced by the later picture, women are no longer viewed as dolls. Her body image is that of an intelligent, capable human being. She is literally-pardon the corny colloquialism-wearing the pants. This visualizes the growing equality of men and women in modern society. Even though she is actually a model, she looks like a typical woman. Her wardrobe consists of blue jeans-a strong, sturdy choice-a pretty top, and sensible shoes. Modern society values powerful, competent women. While many women still marry and create the typical nuclear family, they are now expected to self-reliant. If the woman is married, as the one in the ad-she is wearing a wedding band-they are supposed to be able to handle things when their husbands are not around. In the Fifties, competent, self-sufficient women were not valued, but today powerful, competent women are considered the norm. Meanwhile, the woman in the ad has her hair down and even a little messy, but she hasn't lost her femininity. She is not overly petite, instead she has hips that she uses to hold her daughter. But she is definitely not fat. In her hands she holds her daughter and her purse and an umbrella. This woman can handle more than one thing at a time.

Even the body language of the woman in the Good Housekeeping ad demonstrates that she would never be able to multitask. Assuming her proper place in the eyes of that society, her posture is child-like. She is ashamed of wrecking the car and frightened by her husband's reaction, she is submissively leaning over and covering her face with her hands. "Hubby" is yelling at her and his body language is dominating; he's leaning over her with his right hand, holding his hat, raised over her, and his left hand pointing at the car. Her facial expression and posture demonstrate her fear and remorse about wrecking the car. This woman knows she is to blame for wrecking the car, so she is receiving her punishment-a verbal flogging-like a child would. Below this image, there is a picture of the woman driving with power steering. She is sitting erect with a big smile on her face and a halo over her head. Now the wife is able to please her husband by not wrecking the car, and her husband's approval is the defining factor of her happiness. This woman resembles a child trying to please her guardian by steering clear of trouble. And, like a child, she is not in control of the situation; She messed up and needed her husband to fix things for her.

Not only is the body language of the woman in Redbook far from child-like, she is actually holding a child. This mother is smiling at and nurturing her daughter. She looks happy and content. She is standing erect, ready to face the world. And her body language suggests that she is quite capable of doing just that. This woman is confident, and it shows. In modern society, women should be confident and powerful. The mini-van is red-a color of power. And this reflects society's view of women. Women are earning college degrees and putting those degrees into practice. They are not confined to merely looking pretty and keeping house. In order to function in society, they have to be powerful, and in control of their lives. This