home

This extract is the “ladies friend” claims this Pond’s advertisement from 1882. This is interesting because the ad does not really display anything uniquely female about it. Its printed on boring paper, in black and white. It claims to treat illnesses that afflict both men and women, including sore throats and hemorrhages. The ad spends the most time trying to give itself credibility by discussing the ingredients present in the mix, and that it is guaranteed to make you feel better. The ad is not exactly eye catching, and the only thing that makes you sure of the fact that it is indeed meant for females is that it says it’s the “ladies friend”. Its almost like they wanted to make more of a profit, and just stuck that phrase on their bottles to attract female customers.

The above ad from 1920 placed by the Pond’s institute is a clear example of how advertisers tried to market their products to women, while conveying multiple messages. The ad itself would horrify the often feminist mind set of women today. The notion that you need to not have shiny or blotchy skin to make a good impression in public seems petty in the large scope of what makes up an individual. Although, I myself pride myself in not giving into the perceived idea that looks are all one has to offer, I found myself itching to go run to a mirror after reading this advertisement. The title using the word “beware” automatically makes the reader interested, perhaps worried about what will come after. The fact that the ad goes on to claim that it is “so easy to let your skin acquire bad traits” induces a little bit of paranoia on the consumer. Honestly, no one wants to look bad, and being that if you don’t start taking care of your skin, nothing good will come from it is enough for one to desire the product being sold. After the reader has become a little concerned about the condition of their skin, Pond’s does a good job of constantly reassuring the reader that with just a little of their facial crème once a day will solve all their shiny, blotchy skin problems. The women in the advertisement are extremely feminine looking; hair pulled back, porcelain white skin, and they are all sitting at lovely little vanity tables, applying the crème, and looking blotch free. This ad both makes the consumer fearful of not looking their best, and offers them an easy solution. It also shows the stereotype of women looking feminine with a sense of womanly perfection about them. The way in which most men of the time wanted their women to be; delicate and purely perfect.

center

In the second, more modern advertisement/ product, it seems like a different kind of woman is being targeted. The new tagline that appears on all the advertisements and television commercials is “The science of YOU”. This is trying to tell the public that they are focusing on individuality rather than a preconceived notion of what is feminine and what is beautiful. What is beautiful, and should be the focus is who you are and what you have to offer the world. This seems to be the complete opposite of the 1920’s advertisement, which tried to make women want to be like every other woman, and that there were certain ways you needed to look in order to be accepted by the public. Today it is all about how you can prove to the world that you are different in some way; special. So it makes sense that the advertisement has had to change overtime. The woman in this ad looks very much more conceivable and real. (true it is a photograph versus a painting) She does not look like she has makeup covering up who she is, she looks natural. She also looks very determined and strong, which is how women of today want to be seen as. Ironically, individualism is lost in this product, because desiring to be an individual is a common thread of women in America, therefore making it unoriginal to purchase this product. So once again advertisers are just picking up on how women are viewed at the current time and mass producing products to fill there current needs. So perhaps not that much as changed since the 1920s where the world of advertising is concerned.

center

This ad, released very recently from the Pond’s Institute sort of goes back to the 1882 ad’s appeal of having credibility in the product being offered. The ad shows a very clean, sterile environment which claims to be an actual facility in the Pond’s institute. This room makes you feel like the product you are about to use is sanitary and safe for your use. Again, the woman in the ad exhibits all the qualities that modern women want to be associated with; naturalness, strength, and individuality.

Although times have changed, as well as the ads for skin care, there still remains similarities that have always helped advertisers sell their products. The most feasible method of doing so is to feast on the common notion of what a woman should be like in the given era, whether that’s strong and original or feminine and delicate. Also, cleanliness and credibility of the product have always been important to the consumer, and seems to be especially marketable to females. By using this combination of strategies, advertisers are able to make a product seem like a must have to American women.