OMO advert CSP blog tasks

 1) What year was the advert produced?

1955

2) How were women represented in most adverts in the 1950s?
Women were often presented as the weaker sex, with negative character traits, excessive emotion, lack of intelligence, and were deemed to do domestic duties like being a good wife or mother.

 
3) How does the heading message ('OMO makes whites bright') and the typography promote the product?
The burst that is used to promote the product links back to radio new which was popular in the 1950's.

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?
The women's over excessive make up could possibly represent the ideal look for women and perhaps could have been used to seem relatable to other women in the 1950's which would make them more eager to purchase the product. The placement of the model shows her putting up clothes on a rack and doing the job of what a 'typical' women in the 1950's should've been seen doing.

 
5) Why is a picture of the product added to the bottom right of the advert?
A pack shot was added at the bottom of the product which was there so women could recognise the product when they go shopping  to purchase it.

 
6) What are the connotations of the chosen colours in this advert - red, white and blue?
The red, white, blue colours have been use to represent the union jack flag especially as WWII had just ended and Britain was a patriortic.

7) How does the anchorage text use persuasive language to encourage the audience to buy the product? Give examples.
It reinforces the statement that women are the inferior gender and the text 'millions of women' persuades women that this product is owned by many other women and by not purchasing it they would be wishing out.

8) What representation of women can be found in this OMO advert? Make specific reference to the advert and discuss stereotypes.
In this OMO advert women are perceived to be dutiful and women like as we can see her hanging up her laundry like a typical 1950s women reinforcing their stereo types.

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 other woman in 1955 should use this product as a way to impress there husbands and become a dutiful wife for him. 

10) What is the oppositional reading for this advert - how might a modern audience respond to this text and the representation of women here?

That women aren't entitled to any role that is outside of there stereotype and lack the knowledge or ability to do anything a man could do. 

GRADE 8-9

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

The ideology of women has differed over the last 60 years as they have gone from a reinforced stereotype of a, dutiful ,obedient ,disciplined, compliant to a subverted stereotype of women with power, jobs and are seen up higher in job statuses. This can be seen in the OMO advert where they refere to women as 'mother' which patronises 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?

3) Read this Guardian feature on possible law changes with regards to gender representations in advertising. Do you agree with this approach?

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.