1953_Alcoa_Aluminum_advertisement

You mean a woman can open it?

You mean a woman can open it?

1953 Twist-off bottle cap advertisement tagline

In 1953 Alcoa Aluminum[1] produced an advertisement promoting their HyTop twist-off bottle cap. The advertisement, often erroneously attributed to Del Monte Foods,[2] featured a picture of a woman with the tagline "You mean a woman can open it?"[1] The advertisement has been subject to criticism in later reviews and is viewed as a symbol of casual sexism that was prevalent in the United States during the 1950s.[3]

The image used in the advertisement

Description

The advertisement features a woman wearing red lipstick and looking at the reader while holding a Del Monte ketchup bottle with the appearance of being about to open it. The tagline directly below it is, "You mean a woman can open it?" with the word woman underlined. The first sentence of the article it accompanied stated, "Easily—without a knife blade, a bottle opener, or even a husband!"[4]

Critical review

The advertisement has been described as an example of targeted advertising towards women,[5] is viewed as a symbol of social stereotypes during the 1950s.[6] Scholarly interpretation states that it implies that a woman is dependent upon her husband to do things for her.[4] In one such commentary, the New York Daily News stated that the woman in the advertisement is "clearly stunned and possibly delighted" at being able to open the bottle easily.[2] In addition, the advertisement has been used as a symbol of retro advertising, with a book bearing the same title as the tagline being published in 2000 by Adams Media detailing retro advertisements.[7] The Independent claimed that it enforced the stereotype of a woman as an unintelligent housewife.[8]

References

  1. [1]
    "Alcoa Aluminium - Beyond Belief: Shocking vintage adverts from the 'Golden Age'". Telegraph. 24 December 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-04-26. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  2. [2]
    "Del Monte Ketchup: 'You mean a woman can open it?' 'Mad Men' premiere: Sexist ads from the era of Don Draper". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  3. [3]
    Advertising (2014-05-08). "26 Sexist Ads Of The Mad Men Era". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2016-12-08. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  4. [4]
    "Why We Can't Afford Not To Be Politically Correct". The Odyssey. 2016-10-17. Archived from the original on 2018-05-03. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  5. [5]
    "Aprons in Advertising". Slideshare. 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2017-01-10. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  6. [6]
    Muir, Elizabeth (2015). Canadian Women in the Sky: 100 Years of Flight. Dundurn. p. 138. ISBN 978-1459731882.
  7. [7]
    Ad Nauseam (2000). You Mean a Woman Can Open It...?. Adams Media. ISBN 1580623778.
  8. [8]
    Rushton, Susie (2010-11-30). "Turn the heating off – and feel virtuous". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
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