Saturday, January 03, 2009

One for the ladies

In comments on my previous post, both Ms Gallagher and Ms Bird expressed forceful opinions about the attitude to women displayed in one advertisement. Here is a further selection, in which it will be observed that the Patriarchy did not confine itself to matters of cod. Things do happen after a Badedas bath: appearances are made by Old Spice man, Action Man and his Transport Command, OXO (with more Man Appeal) the Sunsilk girl (the Harmony girl's arch rival, here played by Leslie Ash) and Milk Tray man. Shortly after these advertisements were broadcast, Britain chose its first woman Prime Minister.

2 comments:

Samuel said...

I think the worst offender here is definitely Ultra Brite toothpaste.

Ultra Brite - made for ladies who long for the attentions of their co-workers. Also delivers long-lasting mint freshness for the awkward weeks to follow!

I'm not even going to elaborate on the feet thing.

Anonymous said...

Oh Cindy, a higher-paid colleague who bangs you because he likes your shiny teeth is not worth your trouble.

I'm struck by how these advertisements draw on two apparently imaginary lands: the domestic world (which extends into the park when lightly-hairsprayed women walk around) and something like holiday land, where women are largely passive and beautiful and men commit feats of derring-do with the aid of some sort of product.