Chapter 3 Notes for Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes

1900-World War I – The Rise of a Consumer Economy.

Millions of American incomes increased as industrialist expanded creating a demand for consumer goods. Several mergers consolidated many independent Firms into large scale corporations. These corporations controlled industries such as railroads, coal, iron, copper, oil, steel, sugar, and tobacco. For example Nabisco acquired  many independent bakers. These firms took advantage of the controlling production and management and now assumed control over marketing and purchasing activities. Advertisements now did more than just inform customers, now they relentlessly tried to persuade Americans to buy a particular brand and stay loyal.

Advertising attracted many new immigrants to America. 9 million from 1900-1910. New industries emerged, such as ready to eat cereals, light bulbs, vacuums, irons, toasters and even washing machines. New retail outlets started to spread throughout the country. Woolworths had over 600 stores. J.C.Penney had 300 retail clothing outlets called chain stores. A&P had over 400 food outlets and by 1929 had over 15,000 stores and was considered the largest retailer of any kind until 1965 -Sears.

Females were isolated to work on products such as food, soap, cosmetics. Women worked as secretaries or researchers and struggled to get noticed as copywriters. Advertisers started to turn their advertising entirely over to ad agencies.

Nabisco created a brand name cracker and created a distinctive octagonal shape to preserve the crackers crispness. They were packed  air-tight in paper lined packages.

By 1900, magazines exploded with color. The look of the ad became increasingly important. According to Elmo Calkins the “look” of the ad meant “that combination of text with design which produces a complete advertisment.” Skillful use of emotional appeals could move products faster than any other approach. See memorable slogans on page 106.

New agencies were growing in size. They offered pretty much the same as the agencies today, which consist of planning, research, ad prep etc. Beginning around 1900, schools started to offer courses in advertising. A decade later Harvard, NYU and Boston University among other schools started offering the same.

Cleanliness was an issue in the early 1900′s People usually only bathed on Saturday or before holidays. Metropolitan Insurance joined the corps of activist and reinforced the idea of cleanliness with some successful advertising.

Advertising Revolutionized the Breakfast Menu. Fruit growers realized that they had to find new ways to use oranges. This fruit did not lend themselves to be baked such as apples did. One strategy was a marketing and design of a glass hand held reamer that enabled people to squeeze their own fresh juice. The most famous Sunkist ads displayed:  ”Drink an Orange.” (see pages 122-123)

Henry Ford brought the automobile to the common man. Before the model T, the average car cost around $2,800 while prestige models were priced at $8,000-10,000. The Model T was considered the family horse. The Model T was available in many colors. In 1910 to keep production costs down, Ford only made green cars. In 1911 nothing but blue and from 1914-1925 nothing but black. From 1908-1911 GM was formed. Chevrolet joined forced with GM and overtook Ford as the nation’s choice for a basic car. The first car ad’s pictured silhouettes of the vehicle, while copy stressed mechanical features such as: horsepower, number of cyclinders, transmission, performance claims, etc.

Soap, Sex and Cigarettes – Chapter 2 Notes (1880-1900 Selling the Goods)

Dramatic changes due to economic growth had occured by the 1880′s. Distribution had reached coast to coast markets, factories increased, *raw materials were transported at a faster rate and even at a lower cost. Manufacturers also started to encounter increased competition.

*Raw material refers to a good not transformed by production.

Cities started to grow in census and the consumer population started to understand print ads. People produced and made their own necessities but now manufacturers had to convince the public to buy soaps, bread, clothes among other necessities to buy their products.

 Some expansion of mail order houses made possible for sales to grow on a national scale. Companies that demonstrated this were Montgomery Ward (defunct retailer today) and Sears, Roebuck and Co. Sears published catalogs with clearly stated prices and offered customers to obtain items in the catalog quickly.

Firms set up extensive marketing organizations and made ties between retailers and managers. Andrew Carnegie became the world’s leader of producing steel and at the time *John D. Rockeller was the leader of oil. Small firms just could not keep up with the larger Firms consolidating marketing and manufacturing together.

*John D. Rockefeller on an interesting note was the world’s first billionaire. He had also created foundations for medicine,  education and scientific research. As we are most familiar with the Rockefeller name; Rockefeller plaza was named after him.

Some companies as a result of advertising helped lay the foundations of the growth of Sears, Colgate-Palmolive, Pillsbury, American Express, and American Tobacco.

Advertising in the 1880′s and 90′s used a variety of media to deliver messages such as the newspaper, magazines and outdoor advertising. Advertising started to make consumers aware of their product and distinguish them from competition. Marketings first success with brand name goods was Quaker Oats.

Early manufacturers boxed hundreds of cereals. Procter and Gamble (not mentioned in the text -P&G had their factories on Staten Island amongst other places, produced and distributed Ivory soap here on the Island. The neighborhood where the factory once stood until recent years is called Port Ivory.) Pillsbury flour, Heinz Condiments are also examples of boxed goods. Packaging proved an effective medium to display the brand name and the trademark and to explain why the product was the one of choice.

Catchy slogans and a large amount of advertising made Royal Baking Powder, Sapolio soap, and Ivory three of the most recognized brand names of the day. (You can find the ad for Royal Baking Powder on page 71) Soapmakers took the lead in enterprising advertising on a large scale. Although not mentioned in the text, the reading mentioned Lever brothers which we know today as the company that puts out ALL and WISK laundry detergents along with other cleansing products. As you can see these companies have been around for decades.

Ivory soap’s memorable slogan “It floats” first appeared in an 1891 ad.

John S. Pemberton, started Coca Cola in 1886. Pemberton began advertising with trade cards entitling the bearer to a free coke. As we know today drinking coke is an American tradition. (ads on pages 75-77)

PR/Propaganda Picture

I really thought this was a great picture. If anyone has recently watched the movie Flags of our Fathers you would easily be able to  relate this poster to the movie. If you notice at the very bottom of the poster it says “New York American” if you can’t enlist you can still be patriotic and buy a Libery bond! The poster is trying to say if you cant help your country this way…you can help us another.

Sexism and Sexuality in Advertising Response

I think Jacobson and Mazur were absolutley right about everything discussed in this article. I tried to apply some of the things mentioned to my life and how advertisements affect me.

I found it quite interesting how they mentioned what it means to be a  desireable man or a woman and I related what they talk about to the images we viewed in class earlier this week. I completely agree with what was said in class and in the reading. Men are defintitely measured by how successful they are and how they hold status in a powerful, rich way. Society wants to view men as a powerful figure. For example we never had a female president. Women are definitely desired more on a sex level more so than men. For example -mens magazines like Maxim, FHM etc. 

Women see these magazines and advertisements not just geared towards men but for women as well. If im not mistaken I remember in class we talked about a really low percentage of women actually can look like those models in the advertisements and more than 90 percent of the time the photos are air brushed anyway so the picture is false. Advertisements show not necessarily what you want to see but what you want to look like, what you desire.

Advertisements for class of 2/20

I found this picture of Times Square, which I always found fascinating. The amount of advertisements that are literally thrown in your face is astounding. To build on to what we were discussing in groups; I belive that people are deintitely influenced by advertisements. Sales sky rocket when a brand gets advertised. It is definitely key to advertise a product if you want sales to increase. People are very easily influenced. I think that people like to buy what everyone has or whats most “popular” and when they might see an ad they might think that this is the new best thing or what everyone has or wants. I think Times Square is a perfect example.

Cigarette Advertisements

 

I remember watching the film clip in class and I remember cigarettes that were bought for the War and all the soldiers. I like how camel portrayed themselves as if they cared so much for the soldiers. I wonder what they think of this advertisement now.

The lady with the lucky strike cigarettes especially caught my attention because I actually remember learning about lucky strikes advertising in my PR class. I remember learning which publics lucky targeted. It is clearly obvious that this cigarette was targeted towards women. Jean Harlow even endorsed this ad with her signature on it. I believe this was around the 1930′s. On the ad its states that  “incidentally i’m careful in my choice of cigarettes, I have to because of my throat, put me down for someone who reaches for a lucky” As if smoking this cigarette is good for you.

Alienation in American Society Response

I found this article very interesting. I was completely hooked when he said that man becomes alientated from himself and experiences alienation from the world in which he lives. I tried to think of situations in my life when I read the article and I liked how he said that people simply go to church  becuase membership provides people with a certain respectability and social prestige. I remember when I went to church as a family when I was younger and I could definitely see my parents and the people they associated with  just as how Pappenheim talks about. We had to go as a Family. I think for the most part people are followers and need to hold a certain status in there community so that they wont feel alientated from the rest of society. That includes with friends, family, colleagues, etc.

I kind of found it disturbing how he spoke about the man that was killed with the knife because I thought it was terrible how not one person called for help.  And you may not agree with me but I believe that people only care about themselves. I especially liked how he stated that people that don’t realize they are alienated are the people who are usually successful. People who are successful don’t care, they become even more heavily involved in thier own well being, not that im saying thats wrong but when society is at War and people are in poverty, something should be done. The story of the guy being murdered and nobody called for help was completely absurd.