Mornidine Sickness

Since the inception of advertising, women have been marginalized, objectified and have had their portrayals relegated to subservient stereotypes in order to sell various products. Particularly before the second wave of the feminist movement (in the mid 1950s), these misrepresentations of women--constructed realities contrived by male executives--hampered any potential social progress.

Inspired by Killing Us Softly 3, I decided to focus on the image of the housewife as a submissive domestic. I chose two advertisements, the first being the stereotypical wife as a housekeeper, the second representing a slightly more evolved alternative. Finally, I will offer my suggestion for an ideal representation of the theme.

Source

This image depicts a typical early 1950s housewife, smiling as she prepares her beloved husband breakfast at the stove. The text "Now She Can Cook Breakfast Again" seems par for the course (albeit inexcusably sexist) in an advertisement from this time period--until the actual product is revealed. Mornidine was a medication to combat morning sickness. This ad conveys the notion that an exhausted mother-to-be (dehumanized with the use of "she" in the tagline) in the first trimester of her pregnancy will be cheerfully cooking eggs and bacon for her husband if she pumps her body, and in turn, the body of her unborn child) full of pipamazine (a drug now known to have caused devastating birth defects on children whose mothers took the drug in early pregnancy). (Source)

Source

This 1960s advertisement depicts a smiling man, carrying a large tray of breakfast food in a robe with the accompanying text, "See The Conquering Hero Comes...armed with Sunday breakfast for his deserving bride." This seems to be an improvement over the previous advertisement, with the male bringing breakfast to his "deserving" wife, implying a bit more respect for the female subject. There seems to be equity between the couple, as breakfast for two is laid out on the tray, although the title of "hero" insinuates that this robe-donning man's wife needs to be rescued, and as a result, an imbalance of power is suggested, especially since the woman in his life doesn't seem to have any other function than being a "bride".

SOLUTION:

Clio-award winner, this isn't. However, this modified print ad serves to demonstrate an enlightened marketing strategy for the Viyella robe. This man is celebrating his wife's occupational achievements, and doesn't have the title of "hero" bestowed upon him simply for boiling eggs, slicing a grapefruit and setting them on a tray. An equal balance of power and respect is demonstrated, and the product is prominently (and effectively) featured in the advertisement.