The Most Sexist Print Ads In History

Advertising used to be a very different animal. For one, ads used to be much simpler. It wasn’t until much later that advertising companies discovered the power of using imagery and plot to manipulate our emotions. Ads were usually mere declarations of a product’s utility. Ads also trafficked in many different themes than they do today. Classical advertising, like modern advertising, is (in)famous for preying on women’s insecurities about their looks and value as mates. Back in the day, the advertisers used explicitly sexist imagery and language. These are a few examples of that kind of ad. Thankfully, they’re no longer in circulation. 1. 'MEN ARE BETTER THAN WOMEN!' This ad for Drummond sweaters is pretty stunning. “Indoors, women are useful” is almost as odious as the sentence that precedes it. It doesn’t get much more blatant than showing a man nonchalantly hauling the weak, useless body of a female mountain climber up after him with one hand. It’s sometimes easy to forget just how explicit sexism in advertising once was. 2. IT'S NICE TO HAVE A GIRL AROUND THE HOUSE It’s always nice to have a girl around the house whose head you can step on. Also a girl who’s a tiger rug for some reason. Critics have pointed out that this ad may have some kind of sexist subtext. If you look real close, you can see some clues. Like his foot on her head. Or the fact that she’s a tiger rug. 3. THE CHEF DOES EVERYTHING The Kenwood chef can do a lot. It can mix, it can stir, it can even mix and then stir. But it can’t make your wife love you again after you make her wear a stupid chef’s hat in the kitchen. 4. CHRISTMAS MORNING Yes, bow. Bow to the Hoover, your new master. What was once a great Christmas gift is now the quickest way to make sure you get divorced. If your wife is looking a bit grim around the corners of her mouth, give her a damn vacuum cleaner. 5. I WISH I WERE A MAN This took the “I Want You” ad to a whole new level of shaming. The message is clear. Join the war effort or you’re a girl. Doesn’t get any more lucid than “BE A MAN AND DO IT.” 6. SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGES Every story of true love begins in the kitchen. Why wait to put your new wife to work until after she’s out of her wedding dress? And be sure to lord over her as she bakes you a pie. Don’t want her screwing up. 7. SHE DOESN'T CARE! She cares. 8. KEEP HER VITAMIN'D Is your wife being moody and broody around the house? Not leaping to her feet at the opportunity to clean the kitchen? Probably vitamin deficiency. If you’re worried you’re not cute enough, just get to work. Kellogg’s has a very checkered, bizarre history. If you want a delightful hour’s read, look into the origins of cornflakes. 9. IT'S DARING History has, perhaps, repaid Van Heusen for their string of extraordinarily sexist ads by turning the brand into trash. Can you imagine what would happen if a modern clothing company included an image of a man spanking a woman in one of their ads? Thankfully, that’s hard to imagine. 10. PROTEIN CEREAL? You’d think that after decades upon decades of food products being marketed as silver bullets for weight loss, we’d wise up. You would be incorrect. Health food ads actually haven’t changed that drastically since the era when a magazine ad could state that the secret to lasting health was Grape Nuts. 11. BLOW IN HER FACE Oh no. Oh no oh no. How many guys actually tried this? It’s a testament to the power of advertising that a lot of men probably bought into this message as something plausible. 12. DO YOU STILL BEAT YOUR WIFE? This one’s just incredible. Don’t think we need to go into detail about why this is unacceptable. Insane to think that there was a magazine or newspaper that would carry this ad. Co-Le Sales Company is thankfully out of business. 13. KEEP HER WHERE SHE BELONGS On the floor. Looking at a shoe. Also, naked. Not sure what this ad was for, but it’s definitely the kind of thing that would appeal to guys who wear shoes like that. 14. IF YOUR HUSBAND EVER FINDS OUT This one is maybe 10% less awful than the “how to beat your wife” pamphlet. And it’s for coffee. Why was this an effective marketing strategy for coffee? As you can see, advertising has come a long way. Ads (almost) never use imagery that’s this violent and explicitly sexist anymore. (Source: History In Orbit) What do you think of these old ads? Share your comments below. And if you LIKE this story, we appreciate your SHARING it with your Facebook friends and family!