History

Changes over Time in Advertisement and its Relationship to the Role of Women

Three or four decades ago, women were viewed in a very traditional manner. In the past, few women enjoyed the freedom of searching for education or any form of training. Majority of the women were viewed as middle class citizens and this was approved by the innate result of the biological differences between men and women. Men were the sole bread winners of the family while the role of women in the family was downgraded (Zinn, 2003). In addition, the freedom of women was limited for most of them belonged to extended families. The role of women in the society was reflected in most of the advertisements where they were given the image of homemakers. Currently, women’s image in advertising have been altered as they become more educated making more career opportunities in their lives.

As women push for equality, the advertisements will indicate men and women as the same. Some years back women were portrayed as sex symbols in most advertisements. Women were viewed as sex objects and housewives in the society, and this is the reason as to why they were used in household equipment advertisements. Presently, the role of women in the society has changed and they are used in different types of advertisements such as career advertisement and technological advertisements, the same as men (Endress & Lueck, 1995). Men are also used as sex symbols in advertisements, a proof of equality in the society.

In the present society, women have access to education and can advance their living standards more than in seventies. Women’s role in society is changing because they are more educated than in the past. Education has provided women with the indispensable need of equality with men. This is unlike in the past where girls got married at their early stages of life denying them access to education for they were tied up in their child rearing duties. Currently, women are getting married later in life after accomplishing their career goals. This has been the major reason as to why the women’s role in the society has been altered tremendously. Women have become independent not like in the past where they had to depend on men for their daily needs. This is where they had to be submissive to them acting as minors. Women were viewed as home makers and this is the reason they were used in advertising home equipments such as utensils.

The most practical obstacle of equality especially in work places has been woman’s ability to bear children. From the earliest times, motherhood has assisted in separating men and women since women remained at home while pregnant and nursing their babies. Like wise, as women remained back home bringing up children, men were away from home at their places of work. On contrary, in modern times, women are still bearing children but they do not spend their entire lives back home bringing up their children. After giving birth, they always go back to their usual daily lives of work (Zinn &Emery, 2003). Previously, most advertisements for baby products had women images where they were portrayed as the only people who were responsible for bringing up children. The case today is different where in such advertisements images of men are also incorporated signifying equality. Men have been brought out as individuals who can also participated in the role of child rearing.

In conclusion, advertisements have influenced the role played by women in the society. In the past, women were viewed as homemakers and this was the reason as to why their images were used in most of the advertisements that involved home appliances such as cutlery and laundry equipments. Education has played a major role in the change that has taken place in the part that is currently played by women in the society. The number of educated women has gone up with women participating in the career world. Women are no longer taken as dependent for they can provide for their daily needs. Presently, there is equality between men and women and this is the reason as to why in most advertisements men are also used as sex symbols in advertisement just as women. Women are also used in advertisement of technology related appliances and not only men are incorporated in these advertisements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Endres, Kathleen L. & Lueck, Therese L. Women’s periodicals in the United States: consumer magazines, Akron, OH: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995. Print.

Zinn, Howard & Emery, Kathy. A People’s History of the United States: American beginnings to Reconstruction. Boston, Massachusetts: New Press, 2003. Print.

Zinn, Howard, A People’s History in the United States, Boston, MA: HarperCollins, 2003. Print.