Women in advertising: From Consumers to Creators
The advertising industry has evolved significantly, especially regarding the role of women. In the early days of what we know as modern advertising, women were often portrayed as passive consumers while men dominated the industry. Now, nearly a century later, I find myself inspired and very glad to see women not only participating but also becoming leaders of the industry. The following short analysis reflects on changes in societal norms and highlights the powerful influence that advertising itself has had in the shaping of gender perceptions and roles.
In the early years of stricter gender roles, the advertising industry spoke specifically to housewives and urged them to buy everything associated with women of the era, from dresses and hair accessories to kitchen devices. The book Captains of Consciousness, recalls how advertising offered women all sorts of household devices such as washing machines and cleaning supplies, which aligned well with their imposed roles as stay-at-home consumers (Ewan, 1976). Driven by the need to further establish the consumerist society that we are comfortable with today, advertising of the era even categorized all family members into distinct roles: the father was to be a wage-earner who made consumption possible, and the housewife was to be an expert purchasing agent for the home. These roles were so established that in Towards a New Paradigm in the Ethics of Women’s Advertising, the author proves how men had to groom themselves for their boss, while women had to be seductive for their husbands (Cohan, 2001).
It wasn’t until the resurgence of the feminist movement in the 1970s that women and, as a consequence men, were given a new narrative that moved beyond the imposed stereotypes.
Fig 1. Image taken from Electrolux Group’s History images - Other products
One pivotal campaign that shifted perceptions was Edward Bernays’ iconic ‘Torches of Freedom’ in 1929. Originally commissioned by the cigarette giant Lucky Strike, this campaign consisted of ten young women puffing cigarettes and strolling down Fifth Avenue on Easter Sunday. At the time, it was known that women smoked indoors, but were too uncomfortable to do it outdoors because of what others might think of them. Although many believe that this initiative empowered women but also over-sexualized them, the campaign did encourage young girls and wives to break free from societal constraints and helped pave the way for the emancipation of American women. It was the beginning of the future, where women would stop being considered as just consumers, to become important leaders of the industry.
Fig 2. Image taken from Aditya Shaligram’s “Torches of Freedom” – A lesson in marketing
A great example of this change is Mary Wells Lawrence (1928-2024), who passed on to history as the first woman who ever founded, owned, and ran a major advertising agency. Years have passed, but she is still celebrated for her groundbreaking campaigns. One of them is Alka-Seltzer’s “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz,”. Her most famous one, “I Love New York.”
Fig 3. Image taken from CNN Money’s Meet the Real ‘Mad Men’
Today, the advertising industry has made significant changes and is only getting better at representing women and encouraging inclusivity. A recent IPA survey, conducted between September 2022 and January 2023 and involving 201 UK agencies, reveals several key improvements in employment practices within the marketing and advertising sectors.
As a young woman starting my career in this industry, I am thrilled to be part of this transformative journey.
REFERENCES
Cohan, J.A., 2001. Towards a new paradigm in the ethics of women’s advertising. Journal of Business Ethics, 33(4), pp. 323–337. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25074613 [Accessed 12 October 2024].
Ewen, S., 1976. Captains of consciousness: Advertising and the social roots of the consumer culture. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hesno, R., 2023. IPA Census: More female agency leaders but gender and ethnicity pay gaps remain. Prolific North. Available at: https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/ipa-census-more-female-agency-leaders-gender-and-ethnicity-pay-gaps-remain/ [Accessed 12 October 2024].
O'Barr, W.M., 2010. A brief history of advertising in America. Advertising & Society Review, 11(1). doi: 10.1353/asr.2010.0012.
Untitled, n.d. Image of an ad for Alka Seltzer. [Image]. CNN Money (2009). Meet the Real ‘Mad Men’. Available at: https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0908/gallery.real_mad_men.fortune/6.html [Accessed 10 November 2024].
Untitled, n.d. Image of an Italian advert for refrigerator, floor polisher and vacuum cleaner. [Image] ElectroLux Group (n.d.). History images - Other products. Available at: https://www.electroluxgroup.com/en/images/other-products/ [Accessed 8 November 2024].
Untitled, n.d. Image of six women smoking on a street. [Image] Aditya Shaligram’s LinkedIn Article (2022). “Torches of Freedom” – A lesson in marketing. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/torches-freedom-lesson-marketing-aditya-shaligram-1f/ [Accessed 10 November 2024].
