1) What year was the advert produced?
1955
2) How were women represented in most adverts in the 1950s? Add as much detail to this answer as you can as these are the social, cultural and historical contexts we will need to write about in the exam.
Women were represented similarly to maids as responsible for the cleaning and house jobs.
They were shown as only good as a wife and to look after children and the house.
They were shown as pretty and feminine wearing dresses and makeup.
Shown as a mans object and servant.
3) How does the heading message ('OMO makes whites bright') and the style of the text promote the product?
Comic style design which was popular in the 1950s.
creates the idea that women should be perfect.
4) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert (CLAMPS): how is costume, make-up and placement of the model used to suggest women's role in society?
4) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert (CLAMPS): how is costume, make-up and placement of the model used to suggest women's role in society?
Centrally placed to show her as feminine.
Props reinforce female domestic expectations.
Makeup reinforces femininity and shows women should looks nice even when cleaning.
Smile connotes the happiness of using the product.
Smile shows her duty as a house wife and mother, which is stereotypical for the 1950s.
5) Why is a picture of the product added to the bottom right of the advert?
So that women recognise recognise what the product looks like in the shops.
6) What are the connotations of the chosen colours in this advert - red, white and blue?
The union jack flag. As this was made in 1955 there was a sense of a patriotic feeling because of of the end of world war 2.
7) How does the anchorage text use persuasive language to encourage the audience to buy the product? Give examples.
'millions of women' is band wagon which creates an idea that everyone is consuming the product.
8) What representation of women can be found in this OMO advert? Make specific reference to the advert and discuss stereotypes.
Props: reinforces female domestic expectations.
Makeup: reinforces femininity.
Anchorage text: patronises and infantilises women to make them feel inferior.
Call out/burst: creates the idea that women should be perfect.
9) What is the preferred reading for this advert - what did the producers of the advert want the audience to think in 1955?
The preferred reading is that a woman is only a good wife and mother if they have this product and do all your cleaning.
10) What is the oppositional reading for this advert - how might a modern audience respond to this text and the representation of women here?
The oppositional reading is that this brand is sexist and shouldn't be used and if you do use it then you are sexist.
Grade 8/9 extension questions
1) How much do you think things have changed over the last 60 years with regards to representations of women in advertising? Give examples from a variety of adverts.
1) How much do you think things have changed over the last 60 years with regards to representations of women in advertising? Give examples from a variety of adverts.
I think that adverts now wouldn't be showing women and female domestic expectations but I do think that adverts are still sexist as they sexualise women.
2) How is the aftermath of World War Two reflected in the Omo advert? Why did many adverts in the 1950s strongly reinforce the stereotype of women as mothers and housewives?
2) How is the aftermath of World War Two reflected in the Omo advert? Why did many adverts in the 1950s strongly reinforce the stereotype of women as mothers and housewives?
The aftermath of world war two is reflected in the Omo advert in two ways:
The first way is that the product and the advert have a clear colour scheme of red white and blue which connotes to the union jack flag and patriarchy.
The second way is that it strongly reinforces female domestic expectation stereotypes by suggesting that lots of women are being good wives and mothers by using this product.
3) Read this Guardian feature on possible law changes with regards to gender representations in advertising. Do you agree with this approach?
3) Read this Guardian feature on possible law changes with regards to gender representations in advertising. Do you agree with this approach?
I agree with this approach because it means that women will be judged less and not be stereotypes while in domestic roles or more "masculine" roles.
4) Now read this Guardian feature entitled 'Mad Men and invisible women'. Why does it suggest the advertising industry has 'failed to move on'? Do you agree? Read some of the comments below the article to get a range of differing views on this topic.
4) Now read this Guardian feature entitled 'Mad Men and invisible women'. Why does it suggest the advertising industry has 'failed to move on'? Do you agree? Read some of the comments below the article to get a range of differing views on this topic.
It suggests that
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