Gender in Commercials
The selected commercials of the 1970s presented
the issue of gender roles in a broad perspective. All of the commercials
used the acceptance of gender status as a tool for selling a specific
product. "The behind-the-scenes social forces that come to bear on
advertising always influence how a sponsor sells its product" (Hall,
57). Some of the commercials did so by appealing to the male while
others appealed to female. A set pattern is evident in the approaches of
each of the advertisements- the attention of the male consumer was
directed toward financial perspectives, while that of the female consumer
was directed toward domestic considerations.
Commercials of the 1970s attempted to lure the male
consumer
through slogans and situations that revealed the economic aspect of the
product and the duty of the male to support his family. The male was
seen as the head of the family and financial decision-maker. He was "the
family father... [who was] dominant in an inconspicuous and friendly way"
(Vestergaard). It was assumed that the
responsibility
for the economic
well-being of the family rested on his shoulders. Women were still
viewed as incapable of handling the financial duties of the family, even
though they had become an integral part of the workforce. This was a
continuation of the same gender stereotypes that faced women in previous
decades.
Of the selected commercials, three were aimed at the male
consumer. The U.S. Steel, Chase Manhattan Bank, and Gas
Heating
commercials centered around the economic benefits of purchasing their
products. All of the people portrayed in the U.S.
Steel commercial
were male- the father handled the business of renovating the house. The
commercial emphasized the responsibility of the homeowner in preserving
his neighborhood. Since this dealt largely with financial
considerations, the male figure in the family was the main focus of the
commercial. The commercial emphasized the low cost and easy maintenance
of the siding. It directly stated the matter of pride associated with
using the product.
The Chase Manhattan Bank loan
commercial was aimed at the
male even though it did not exclude the female gender. The voice over
stated, "if your thinking of redecorating your bedroom, making your
kitchen bigger, or having your lawn landscaped." By ending with an
activity that was traditionally regarded as a male chore, the announcer
made a direct appeal to the male. The close-up shots of the family
eating also began with a shot of the father. It was this initial image
which the advertiser wanted the consumer (male) to note. Therefore, it
appealed to the male and his "traditional" responsibilities towards the
family.
These "traditional" responsibilities were not
maintained in
the Gas Heating commercial. Yet, the scenes
revealed a desire by the
commercial to appeal to the accepted role of the male as protector of the
family. It was the father who was relied upon to maintain the well-being
and happiness of the family. This advertisement contained the father
performing tasks which were generally associated, in television programs
and commercials, with the mother. These tasks included washing dishes
and bathing the child. Yet, these images were included solely to direct
the attention of the male to the product. "The image of sex roles in
this [commercial] is therefore quite emancipated as [commercials] go, but
still it operates within a world where alternatives to the nuclear family
are inconceivable" (Vestergaard, 93). After this
was
accomplished, the
commercial discussed the financial benefits of gas heating, as well as
its ability to comfort the family. Luring the attention of the male was
essential since the father was viewed as the source of financial
decisions. Much like in the other two commercials, financial issues and
features were directed entirely at the male.
The female sex was persuaded by the advertiser through
images of
domestic roles. "Traditionally, advertisements have shown women as
mothers and wives, thereby upholding a feminine ideal of domesticity"
(Vestergaard, 79). The role of the female as a
housewife still prevailed
in most commercials, even though women had already become a significant
part of the workforce. The only commercial from the selection that
solely contained the female sex was an advertisement for children's
snacks. This commercial, for Jell-O gelatin,
intimated that the mother
was responsible for raising the children and managing the home. A
domestic profile was also promoted in the Chase
Manhattan
Bank commercial. The mother was portrayed in a subordinate role to the
father. She looked to him to take control of the situation instead of
taking a stand herself. In the March of Dimes
commercial, the mother is
portrayed in an emotional state. She appealed to other mothers through
emotion, not logical arguments. This played into the stereotype that
women could not deal with issues beyond an emotional level. These
commercials reemphasized the image of the female as a domestic fixture,
even though society was changing dramatically.
Intimations of gender roles in 1970s commercials was
considered
an important tool in attracted consumers to by products. Although it was
not always direct, the strategy was built upon stereotypes to sell
products. They assumed that the majority of the population maintained
these roles and considered them as the socially correct roles.
Karen's All in
the Family exhibition elaborates on the issue of gender
in the 1970s. The sitcom portrays Archie Bunker, a sexist bigot, and
his family in the decade of great social change for women. The homepage
reveals the stimulus
behind the decisions many sponsors made of content in commercials. The
prevalent sexist views that existed in turn promoted sexist commercials.
Raj Narayan, on the other hand, takes a look back at the 1960s. He does
this through an analysis of the Brady Bunch
series. Raj argues
that the 60s were turbulent times for women who wanted to escape the
domestic identity. Sharif
Masri analyzes the changing gender norms in
the 1990's as viewed through the television show Roseanne. He argues
that present-day gender roles have been reversed in some cases. This is
a direct result of the mass entrance of females into the workforce and a
growing acceptance of females outside of the domestic sphere.
Gender and the Suburban
Image
Return to the
Beginning of Project #2