Vintage Ads: Desperate Housewives
Women in vintage ads, especially from the fifties, seem to have a strong emotional reaction to their home appliances and cleaning detergents.
Image credit: Miss Retro Modern
While the woman above looks, err, INTENSE, the one below has a dreamy look in her eyes as she lovingly talks about her… bath towels.
Image credit: jbcurio
This woman is mesmerized by the color choices of her new fridge:
Image credit: bayswater97
This one, from Sweden, has a slightly manic appearance:
Image credit: jaykayess
And the lady below appears to be ECSTATIC about the cleaning power of her laundry detergent:
Image credit: Miss Retro Modern
Finally, the lady on the left scares the hell out of me with her deranged look:
Image credit: bayswater97
Since it was quite common for depressed fifties housewives to use alcohol, cigarettes and tranquillizers to cope with life:
Image credit: Joan TheWlis
The women in these vintage ads may simply be heavily sedated.
—
More funny stuff from MomGrind:
Funny Hairstyles
Ugly Shoes
Funny Ads
Short Shorts And Other Fashion Mistakes
Filed under Women & Feminism —
Email This Post,
Subscribe To Comments, Trackback,
- Related Posts:
Subscribe Via 
Mike Goad responds:
Posted: November 23rd, 2008 at 10:40 pm →
These are funny, but typical for the ads of the times I suppose.
I still can remember some of the TV ad jingles…, but don’t get me started — I’ll be hearing them the rest of the week.
I don’t think it was all that common for fifties housewives to abuse alcohol, cigarettes and tranquillizers, not in the fifties I grew up in.
Carla responds:
Posted: November 23rd, 2008 at 11:22 pm →
When I was a kid, I used to collect magazines from the ’50′s (got them from thrift stores and yard sales). I used to be so amazed a the enthusiasm the women showed to…dinner plates.
Its not worse than the cigarette ads from the ’90s all the way down the the beginning of cigarette though.
Robin responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 12:12 am →
Hi Vered – as I was born in 1953, those scenes are what I grew up with! So you are taking me down memory lane – we had a washing machine exactly like that, and our fridge was pretty similar – without he coloured handle! I think you are right about the substances – it’s pretty sad.
Nurit responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 12:12 am →
and they all wear perals and earings, and have perfect hair. Isn’t life just dandy?
Linda Abbit responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 12:27 am →
Vered,
Now these are what I call Desperate Housewives!
I never would have fit in then, that’s for sure!
Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours.
Mozi Esme's Mommy responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 3:09 am →
Amazing how far we’ve come! Though sometimes I miss those days of political incorrectness…
Lance responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 4:13 am →
I love the baby in the bath towel ad – his look of “what the …” – is right on!
And…the Kitchenware lady – yes, she is just plain scary! Did it scare people in the fifties, I wonder?
Avital responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 5:14 am →
I LOVE the look on the child’s face in the second photo, as if she’s thinking “Have you gone mad, momma? If anyone asks we’re not related.”
Al at 7P responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 5:31 am →
Vered – you might have found out how soap operas became so dramatic. The advertisers themselves seem to have so much drama
UrbanVox responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 5:41 am →
the Nervine one is hilarious!!!
“Since I have been taking nervine nothing bothers me” lol!!!!
“Hey… is that johnny flying out of the window??” “Dunno… Am I Bovered???”
lol
Laurin responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 5:53 am →
I wonder why the term “femineered” never caught on? Huh. I wonder what’s in Nervine?
Mark responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 6:59 am →
The baby in the bath towel!
Writer Dad responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 7:55 am →
My favorite is the ad for Tide. Her teeth couldn’t be whiter unless they were missing.
Dot responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 7:58 am →
Those are funny! The first one looks enough like Lucille Ball at that time that I think it was deliberate. The idea was, it seems to me, “How can you ask your husband to help when you’ve got all these modern devices and powders?” Also, how can you be unhappy? Women were supposed to model themselves after the mother on Leave it to Beaver or Father Knows Best — always dressed up so your husband would find you feminine and attractive when he got home from his horrible day at the office, loving your life as his wife.
As for Nervine, I suspect that was from a previous century — check out the phones they’re using. I don’t know about the alcohol, etc. abuse. My mother was offered a variety of tranquilizers, several of which she tried, but she clearly needed something, they just couldn’t really diagnose her problem. I think she may have had an autoimmune disease along with her mental illness. She improved a lot on Geritol (multi-vitamin-mineral mixture, extra-strong for the elderly).
Tabitha (From Single to Married) responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 8:48 am →
those are so funny – where on earth did you find them? Scary though, the stereotypes they portray. Not that we don’t have work today, of course, but I do believe that we’ve come a long way. At least I hope we have.
Michelle @ What Does Your Body Good? responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 9:14 am →
Well, I DO like a good SOS pad, that’s true
veena responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 9:50 am →
i love the tide ad!! her expression is priceless
MommyNamedApril responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 9:53 am →
so, is nervine actually xanax???
SpaceAgeSage -- Lori responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:05 am →
Three words:
The Stepford Wives
Bamboo Forest responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:05 am →
Funny set of advertisements. And, yes – over the top.
When women or men do housework, it can be a very useful and kind endeavor. It need not be a reason for euphoria as some of these ads portray.
Stacey / Create a Balance responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:09 am →
Forget about Calgon. Nervine Take Me Away!
Squawkfox responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:10 am →
I don’t own an apron.
Eric Hamm responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:14 am →
Great stuff Vered! That last one IS quite scary. Scary because that kind of thing was quite common back then, just never talked about. Thankfully times, for the most part, has changed. Eric.
Kim Woodbridge responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:06 am →
We look at shows and ads from the 50′s and think that women were all happy housewives. But they must have been portraying a standard or ideal that women couldn’t live up to much like with the skinny airbrushed models of today.
I would have had to rebel. Or take some nervine. My guess is that nervine contained valerian. And you can still buy Night Nervine (Grandma’s Herbs) –
Nervine
Suzie responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:08 am →
I would really like some nervine too. I could be happpy about pots I could …really
zoe responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:10 am →
It’s funny that there are those who idealize and romantisize the 50′s. I think the last ad shows the 50′s for what it was.
Great timing on this post, I just finished watching season 1 of Mad Men. I know you’re not a TV person, but that show is fantastic. It’s set in the early 60′s, and centers around characters who work at a New York ad firm. It also features a few of the lives of the wives and how miserable they are. So, it’s pretty much exaclty this post. Men creating advertising that sells the illusion of happiness. The show is brilliant. It really reminds me of Ayn Rand’s novels. If you’re a fan of her work, you’d probably really like this show.
Mrs. Micah responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:15 am →
I find Nervine the most frightening. The others, well, I guess I’m used to that kind of hyperbole. But the way she says “nothing bothers me”….some things should bother you, it’s part of being human. *shudders*
Natural responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:28 am →
WELL The only one i can really believe is that woman with the Tide. I love the stuff. Nothing is better than Tide. It smells great, cost a fortune, but does a good job cleaning your clothes. I love opening the closet after putting the clothes away and it still has the Tide fresh smell. I know I’m strange, I smell laundry.
Ian Peatey responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:45 am →
Hi Vered. Great post! What I find even more scary than these poster adverts is watching present day TV commercials. They may be a little more subtle … but the messages don’t appear to have changed that much! Ian
Hunter Nuttall responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 11:57 am →
LOL at the femineered fridges!
Jannie responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pm →
Nervine, can that be equated with a tall margarita? And I am with Natural – Tide’s in, dirt’s out. Now with new Mountain Fresh scent (that’s my kind!)
Marelisa responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 1:34 pm →
This reminds of a scene in the movie “Monalisa Smile” where the character played by Kirsten Dunst just got married and she proudly takes her college friend to look at her brand new washing machine. She tells her friend something like: “Look, this is what we’ve always dreamed of.” Wow, a washing machine, yeah, that’s always been high up on my list of dreams
I guess we’re all basically a product of our times.
Anja Merret responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 2:06 pm →
Well. I feel the same about my Apple Mac.
RC Rambles... responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 2:19 pm →
And to think, I’ve never experienced the joy and wonder of being able to pick the color of the handle on my refrigerator door. And I want some Nervine – and why is it that children making noise is a bad thing? It is portrayed, in those days, as having been a health risk. Sad, really.
Off to go use my Tide, excitedly…
Leslie responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 2:27 pm →
Very Pleasantville. And I agree re: the Enameledware lady: she looks like she’s about to clobber someone with the coffeepot.
A couple of years ago, my mother came home with some 1969 issues of Seventeen, where 97 percent of the ads were for engagement rings, flatware and china!
Davina responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 2:29 pm →
HI Vered. I love looking at old advertisements; we’ve come a long way. “And the lady below appears to be ECSTATIC about the cleaning power of her laundry detergent.” Or, perhaps Mr. Muscle in the next yard is strutting his stuff
Christina Narciso responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 2:32 pm →
The woman look overly happy to be doing house chores! Almost crazy looking! It reminds me of the “Stepford Wives!”
Kelly@SHE-POWER responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 2:48 pm →
I think you’re spot on about the women being medicated. Remember the Rolling Stones song, ‘Mama’s Little Helpers’? And if the most exciting thing in your life was washing powder than by god you’d need all the drugs you could get.
Kelly
MomGrind responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 3:22 pm →
@ Mike Goad: The main issues with the fifties is pushing the women back to the kitchen after the war ended and telling them they were living a dream life. Many women felt otherwise.
@ Carla: It’s not worse. It just represents a different time, culture and social agenda.
@ Robin: Your fridge didn’t have a colored handle? I’m sure you felt deprived.
@ Nurit: “Isn’t life just dandy?” – this is exactly the message and it’s troubling.
@ Linda Abbit: I don’t think I would have handled it too well either. Happy Thanksgiving.
@ Mozi Esme’s Mommy: Things are better in many ways, but then you see today’s photoshopped images and you realize that the message is still perfection – just a different kind of perfection.
@ Lance: I doubt it scared people back then. I think they pretty much accepted the message that shiny appliances make women happy.
@ Avital: I know… the look on the child’s face IS precious.
@ Al at 7P: Indeed. These ads are full of drama.
@ UrbanVox: It’s hilarious and disturbing at the same time. The idea that a mother should remain calm at all times is ridiculous.
@ Laurin: “I wonder what’s in Nervine?” Hmm… I’m curious too.
@ Mark:
@ Writer Dad: It’s true. Looks like they were tinkering with photos long before Photoshop.
@ Dot: Your comments are always so informative. The Nervine is indeed an older ad, but I do believe I read that depression was common in suburbia housewives in the fifties.
@ Tabitha: We did come a long way, and there’s still lots to do.
@ Michelle:
@ veena: I know. She epitomizes happiness.
@ MommyNamedApril: I don’t know… I was guessing it’s an antidepressant.
@ SpaceAgeSage: So true.
@ Bamboo Forest: Obviously, the message is of housewives that are perfectly manicured, and perfectly happy to be at home with their clean laundry and shiny new appliances.
@ Stacey:
@ Squawkfox: I own several. I even use them! (Seriously. I’m so clumsy in the kitchen, it’s essential).
@ Eric Hamm: “Thankfully times, for the most part, has changed.” True… but we still have work to do.
@ Kim Woodbridge: “they must have been portraying a standard or ideal that women couldn’t live up to much like with the skinny airbrushed models of today.” EXACTLY. I guess we replaced one ideal – a domestic one – with another, a more sexualized one. Both are beyond the reach of most women, of course. I’m amazed that Nervine still exists!
@ Suzie:
@ zoe: It’s true that I don’t like TV, except for the occasional Seinfeld rerun, but this sounds interesting. Men had so much power over women back then. I think I would have liked to be a man during the fifties and early sixties. But being a woman back then was tough. Even tougher than it is today.
@ Mrs. Micah: I agree. The ideal can’t possibly be complete calmness. It’s OK to FEEL.
@ Natural: Smelling clean laundry isn’t strange. It’s one of life’s little pleasures.
@ Ian Peatey: Interesting. I think the messages today still make women aspire to something they can never really achieve. They focus a lot on looks. And, as you would expect from ads, the message is always “if you buy our product, you will be happy.”
@ Hunter Nuttall:
@ Jannie: I think you just sneaked a Tide commercial into my blog.
@ Marelisa: I saw that movie… I don’t remember the scene but I seem to recall a bitter disappointment in the “dream” – and I think her husband cheated on her, too.
@ Anja Merret:
@ RC Rambles: Another Tide commercial sneaked into my blog!
@ Leslie: Interesting on the Seventeen ads. And not surprising.
@ Davina: “Or, perhaps Mr. Muscle in the next yard is strutting his stuff” Perhaps.
@ Christina Narciso: Stepford Wives they are. A part of their brain has to be missing.
@ Kelly: “And if the most exciting thing in your life was washing powder than by god you’d need all the drugs you could get.” Exactly.
Karl Staib - Work Happy Now responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 5:11 pm →
How times have changed. I know a lot more needs to improve, but we don’t see advertising like this anymore. We are becoming more honest with how life is and should be.
Jason Green responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 8:19 pm →
These are great! I like the refrigerator that can have a handle of any color from the rainbow…like black!
Shevonne responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 9:00 pm →
The lady with the demented face probably has the most realistic reaction
Friar responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:06 pm →
That must have been a great time to be alive…provided you were male.
Evelyn Lim responds:
Posted: November 24th, 2008 at 10:58 pm →
I’m so glad that I am not born back then. I would not have survived tied to a household appliance.
Don’t get me wrong….I respect those who are great homemakers in this new generation. However, as I have tried to be a full time homemaker when my first kid was born, I know that it is a role that I simply have great difficulty in. I was getting all depressed!!
Barbara Swafford - Blogging Without A Blog responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 12:43 am →
Hi Vered – That’s one thing about advertising. It can sell anything, including happiness over pots. Who knew?
Cath Lawson responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 4:40 am →
These are hilarious Vered – but that Nervine ad caps the lot. I guess nowadays that woman would be sent for therapy instead. I wonder which works best?
Dee Langdon - BloggerNewbie responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 6:09 am →
Yeah, back in the day! Everyone has a story about “the way it used to be”, must be human nature!
sharon responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 6:50 am →
Seriously, I had to laugh at these. They certainly look like the domestic goddesses for sure.
Dr. J responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 9:11 am →
HaHa!! Too funny! No wonder I’ve had so many relationship difficulties
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Vered!!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 10:22 am →
@ Karl Staib: I agree: times have changed.
@ Jason Green: I always enjoy intelligent ad copywriting.
@ Shevonne: I agree.
@ Friar: Exactly.
@ Evelyn Lim: I spent a few years as a stay at home mom. It was way more challenging than I had ever imagined.
@ Barbara Swafford: SO TRUE.
@ Cath Lawson: The Nervine ad IS amazing, especially since it implies that without it, you can’t cope.
@ Dee Langdon: “must be human nature!” – probably.
@ sharon: They do!
@ Dr. J: Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
Sara at On Simplicity responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pm →
So that’s why I haven’t been blissed out on cleaning the house. Not enough of my stuff is femineered. It’s all so clear now!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 9:43 pm →
Sara: Yep, that explains it.
Dot responds:
Posted: November 26th, 2008 at 12:39 pm →
Yes, I agree, there was a lot of depression in the fities among housewives. I didn’t see drugs or alcohol in my neighborhood, but it certainly was written about for other neighborhoods, and maybe I just wasn’t old enough to recognize it in my own area. Some of the things that were written as a result of the intellectual desert that was women’s lives in the fifties led to the women’s movement in the late sixties/early seventies.
Sire responds:
Posted: November 28th, 2008 at 1:17 am →
Interesting. Now you put all those ads with a typical good wife from the same era and you will have the perfect combination.
Last-Minute Holiday Shopping? May I Suggest The Perfect Gift | responds:
Posted: January 8th, 2009 at 5:09 pm →
[...] Funny Ads Funny Ads Vintage Ads: Desperate Housewives Subscribe: Email Or Feed [...]
Niomi responds:
Posted: October 7th, 2009 at 11:34 am →
Hey i’m doing a project on advertising at the moment and how women are represented.. does anyone know names of any artists who were big in 50s vintage posters like these?? I have some really early poster artists like Jules Cheret but its hard to find the names of designers from after this. thanks x x
Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association responds:
Posted: January 17th, 2010 at 2:20 pm →
Hello!
I have an entire series dedicated to the comedy of vintage advertising…just think you might enjoy it too!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: January 17th, 2010 at 9:07 pm →
Thank you, Marcy. These are great!
Vintage Ads: Women and the Home | Design + Ideas on WU responds:
Posted: June 29th, 2010 at 10:01 am →
[...] via flickriver, feministing, pzrservices, cosmeticservices, momgrind, [...]
JohnMangan » Vintage Ads: Women and the Home responds:
Posted: July 2nd, 2010 at 7:20 am →
[...] (Images via flickriver, feministing, pzrservices, cosmeticservices, momgrind, womansday) [...]
CutieGirlDiva responds:
Posted: August 26th, 2010 at 9:06 pm →
The woman (if you can call her a woman) in the first ad, just one glance and she knocked the hell out of me.