Monday, November 24, 2008

NaBloPoMo, Day 24: Vintage Ads

The fine ladies at Jezebel pointed me to Blog of Hilarity's 9 Most Disturbingly Misogynistic Old Print Ads, but before I get to that, want to mention that misogynistic isn't really a word. It's misogynist, just as "feministic" is not a word, either. It's "feminist," okay? Not feministical, either. Okay? Yes? Good.

Moving on, let me say viewing these ads fit nicely with the Mad Men marathon I'm currently running and my reactions to them very much mirror the reactions I'm having watching MM.

1. Fish dangling off the tampon string. I'm not sure I even understand this ad. I ran this phrase through Google translator and it means "I am like a fish in water." As in, a tampon in your vagina is as comfortable as a fish in water? What woman wants any association of fish with her vagina, anyway? Clearly created by a female-free ad team, this is too stupid to be offensive.

2. If your husband ever finds out ... I thought this ad was totally HOT. It's so absurd that I can't take it seriously as a message condoning violence against women. I, too, have strong feelings about not drinking bad coffee. Go ahead, take away my feministical credentials.

3. The chef does everything but cook. Yep, hate it. Vile.

4. Blow in her face and she'll follow you anywhere. Have to agree with the commenter; think they got this one backwards.

5. Pep vitamins. Clearly points to the massive amounts of pharmaceuticals needed for anyone to feel completely fulfilled by cooking and cleaning.

6. Trix. Yuck. Women cannot be five, only girls can be five, so this ad is both stupid and disturbing. That kid's expression is downright scary.

7. She may look clean but ... Bleh. Blame women for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases? Ugh. Haven't come too far on this one--I do believe that prostitutes continue to be prosecuted far more often than the men that frequent them. Fail.

8. Douche ad. Oh brother. This just looks and reads hopelessly dated. Reminds me of ads that say candy is good for you, or smoking helps you lose weight. Though the idea that douching can increase your charm is sort of bizarre/interesting.

9. Love's Baby Soft. Yikes. Though I know this ad would never run today, is it really any different than the JonBenet beauty pageant circuit? Creepy. I remember wearing this perfume. I thought I was the shit.

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