Analysing the 1950s Tide Advertisement
Ever wondered how adverts can reveal so much about society's attitudes? This Tide poster from the 1950s is a masterclass in understanding how semantic codes work in media.
The semantic codes here are quite shocking by today's standards - every person shown is a woman, with the bold claim that Tide is "what women want." This wasn't just marketing; it reflected the post-war social context where women were being forced out of wartime jobs and back into domestic roles. The government and society expected them to happily return to housework as if they'd never proved their capabilities in the workforce.
Symbolic codes are equally telling. Notice the hearts floating around the woman as she embraces the Tide box - this plays into 1950s stereotypes that women naturally loved domesticity. The reality? Women were having their newfound independence channeled back into what a patriarchal society deemed acceptable.
Key Insight: The woman's appearance deliberately resembles Rosie the Riveter, the wartime icon who encouraged women to work. This wasn't coincidence - it was strategic manipulation to make the transition from worker to housewife feel positive.
The action codes reinforce this message. Her loving smile suggests the product brings genuine happiness, subtly implying that domestic work could replace the satisfaction women found in employment. Proctor & Gamble understood they needed to sell contentment alongside cleaning powder.