So, turns out that 1960 was a crappy time to be a woman or a minority.
During the pilot episode of Mad Men, we learn that the Men of Madison Ave. are: misogynistic, racist, positively affecting the rates of lung cancer, and supporting Richard Nixon. The imperative of the series, then--much like that of the Sopranos--is to make "bad" characters sympathetic and relatable.
The pilot establishes the social hierarchy early and often, often through sexist/racist dialogue cloaked in paternalism ("simple enough for a woman to use") or other visual cues (the elevator scene). Sometimes the writers choose to hit you over the head with the 60s social structure (Joan's advice to Peggy to "always be a supplicant")--occasionally hamhandedly--but it's the pilot, after all, so that's OK.
And the hegemonic structure that defined this weird, repressed, smoke-saturated and sugar-coated post-war/pre-cultural-revolution era is in turn reflected in actual ads that appeared during that time. Here are some awesome, uber-creepy old ads for your morning coffee (or late-morning bourbon, if you're Don Draper):
Seriously, what will happen? I can't make out the smaller text. Is this unsettling spanking scene supposed to suggest that wifey could find her self in serious, potentially physically threatening trouble if she serves up stale coffee? Here's another:
This one causes me to ROTFLMAO. Blowing smoke in a lady's face--guys, this is a SURE FIRE way to get laid. I urge you to try it and see what happens.
Here's another, more insidious cigarette ad:
All babies want to be just like their dad, right? Even when dad's in the next room giving mom a vicious paddling for neglecting to "store-test", at least he won't feel over-smoked as per the Marlboro Miracle. This bewildered, faintly unibrowed baby is sure of one thing: He can't wait to take his first drag, if he hasn't already, and
especially can't wait to start shaving himself, free of Stropping and Honing! The artist managed to make this Amishly-attired baby look both menacing and strangely progeriatric. Could be that the art director was asleep at the wheel on this one, but who knows? These were the earlyish years of mass-produced advertising. Though today's conventional advertising wisdom would probably stipulate that commercials for state-of-the-art men's shaving products not include babies:
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because Gillette now wants men to associate their product with whipping around in a futuristic fast car and hot women in leather pants stroking their faces--appealing to the very same "adernal energies" that Adorno identified (38).
It's hard to talk about Mad Men without referencing our dear friend Bernays, who was among the first to mine the links between psychoanalytic theory and consumer habits, and who became famous for selling cigarettes to women as a symbol of independence. This is an ideal example of a "spoonful of sugar" moment, to borrow Michelle C's words.
As the series progresses, however, certain characters emerge as agitating against the strict social sedimentation in different, fascinating ways. I don't want to spoil the plot for those who haven't watched Seasons 2 and 3, but it's a great show and a reminder that we have in fact come a long way. (At least we've banned smoking indoors--yuck.) It's also an entertaining summation of all the principles we've talked about so far this semester.
For any inclined, the rest of the creepy old ads can be viewed here.
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