Surreal Vintage Ads & Our Obsession with Controlling Women’s Bodies
Yes, that’s right. That ad says “gain weight.” But wait, aren’t we supposed to lose weight these days? Seeing these ads really does make you think about why women are so concerned with the current in-style body size. What women should probably be a little bit more concerned about is why advertisers are so concerned with our body size and sex appeal. And instead of hating your current size and focusing on what crash diet you might follow next, why not focus on your own happiness and health instead.
Interesting post. Here’s one along the same vein:
http://amazingwomenrock.com/twenty-three-shockingly-sexist-vintage-ads
And with respect to body image, here’s what happens these days when modern-day models look more like they did then:
http://amazingwomenrock.com/model-lizzie-miller-and-her-tummy-rock-the-fashion-world
You are right, it’s worth asking ourselves why advertisers are so obsessed with our bodies – might is have something to do with “big business”?
Susan
These are vintage ads. Advertisements aimed at women to sell products
Your talking about controlling women’s bodies when right now in the united states we absolutely condone the Genital Mutilation of Male children.
People use excuses such as it looks nicer, or normal penises are gross.
Circumcision is MALE GENITAL MUTILATION AND NEEDS TO BE STOPPED
its against the law to mutilate a women’s genitals in the United States, we need to extend the same rights to males.
fine with me…
It has everything to do with big business. Both men and women have a sexual reaction to seeing women (at least so says research I’ve read). Sexual reaction is the same as any other of the reward reactions in the brain in that it increases the amount of dopamine produced. This makes us feel good. Since it’s very rare that, while looking at an ad in a magazine or whatever, we can get sexual fulfillment, the body will naturally look elsewhere and the next best thing is to buy something new and exciting.
If men’s bodies caused the same reaction, you’d see scantily clad men all over the place but they just don’t.
Money, money, money, the seemingly most important thing on the planet and yet the one thing that probably causes the most hardship.
Seems to me we’re seeing more and more scantily clad men all over the place… Or maybe I’m just predisposed to seeing them LOL
Skin is not the issue for me. I object to the objectification and to the implication that however we are is somehow flawed – too fat, too skinny, too tall, too short, too dark, too light, to smart, not smart enough….
I have been a student of media and visual imagery for too many decades. I am noticing a trend away from violence and lone wolf testosterone in movies and television. The best rated shows deal with team work and conflict resolution.
Even the crime shows, which invariably start with the violent death or victimization of a woman or child are turning away from force to negotiation. This is most evident in the Ion show “Flashpoint.” Even though the characters dress like storm troopers, they exist within a soap opera froth of emotional self-discovery.
The commercials are a hoot. One character declares ‘we need more time!’ the appropriate answer, as we all know from Star Trek, et. al., is ‘we don’t have time, dammit!’ I can hear Scottie’s voice ‘I’m givin her all I got, Capt’n. She canna’ take much more!!!!’
The brainy nerd is returning. Spencer Reid and Penelope Garcia on ‘Criminal Minds’; the professor on ‘Alcatraz’ (haven’t caught the name….); all the cool people are really smart.
So, there is a huge change. The standard television and print media are still in the business of conflict and carnage, but they are no longer relevant to main stream social discourse. If you notice, they tend to report on each other, rather than actual news. The internet and interactive information delivered by trusted sources is still the norm, but trusted sources are now facebook friends and affiliates.
Quite a fuckup how aesthetics can define the habits of humanity in terms of nutrition in order to suit particular standards.Thanks for sharing
I also think it’s interesting how these ads blatantly say, “Do this to impress men, because you won’t if you don’t.” I think people are more aware that this stuff is sexist now, since the 70s and 80s, but since ads (normally, but not always) don’t stay stuff like this so openly, it’s easy to think the problem has been solved. Really, though, tactics are more covert, which is much scarier.
I really love this post. Thanks.