The position of the woman as a symbol in the advertising of the 80s and the commercialization of her image is only one of the themes analyzed in the new pop sociological study by the communication expert Dimitra Stathopoulou.The Insistent 80s", which is published by iWrite Publications!
The omnipotence of the Mass Media, throughout its long history, is advertising propaganda. Advertising, as a powerful means of persuasion, attempts to project specific life standards, idealized and often out of reality, but which succeed in being believed and leading the receiver to purchase the advertised products.
From the earliest years of advertising, the woman was the most important customer, since she managed the largest share of household expenses. Thus, the goal of advertising companies was to place it at the center of consumer goods for the home (detergents, cosmetics, food, etc.).
The presence of the female gender at the center of advertising has a long history and various manifestations. It is not enough for a woman to be only sensual and beautiful, but she must be an ideal wife, an excellent mother and a good housewife. It is not enough that she works every day for the maintenance of the house, but also pursues her dream, career, success. She must be shapely, fashionable, conservative, intellectual, busy, etc. To achieve all this, he often falls into the trap of consumerism. Quite vulnerable to the power of the word of advertising, she consumes products, which she believes will make her famous in the social, family, professional environment. Often, in fact, we will see her advertising and consuming products that are not intended for her own needs, but for the needs of men (see Kolynos shaving cream ad), in order to succeed in becoming popular with men sex.
"We notice in 80s advertisements that they sometimes stick to stereotypes (man = hunter ή woman = housewife) and sometimes project a different image.”
In the 80s, we saw the woman in an ice cream commercial sexually stimulating the man (see advertisement for Evga's Shock rocket), in a commercial turning with a trolley in the supermarket aisles and causing sexual panic (see Hellas Spar Veropoulos advertisement) , but also in spots with high heels to awaken the "other" woman in her (see Mum perfume spray advertisement). Nevertheless, in the same decade, steps were being taken to overturn established notions about the role of men and women. For this reason, we notice in 80s advertisements that sometimes they stick to stereotypes (man = hunter or woman = housewife) and sometimes they project a different image (the man shares the housework with the woman or the woman now works and gives opportunity for the man to take on domestic and family duties).
In conclusion, we could say that the world - and advertising - is progressing, evolving, changing, unhooking from conservative situations. And this is what he must do, if we want the speech and the image, to which one is exposed, especially children from an early age, not to impose standards and perceptions that will later become a way of life, action and reaction.
Dimitra (Mema) Stathopoulou
(communicator, writer)
