OMO Advert

1) What year was the advert produced?
1955.

2) How were women represented in most adverts in the 1950s? Add as much detail to this answer as you can as these are the social, cultural and historical contexts we will need to write about in the exam.
Most adverts from the 1950's represent women as people who's sole purpose is to cook and clean. This is shown through countless of cleaning adverts. For example, the OMO advert presents a mother who is cleaning. This further emphasises that women are associated with cleaning. Woman are also referred to as weak and powerless. This is due to the fact that most adverts made women be overpowered by the husband. Lastly, women were presented as people who should always be modest. Examples of this could be where most of the woman wore red lipstick or dresses. Overall, 1950's advert presented woman as a negative way.

3) How does the heading message ('OMO makes whites bright') and the style of the text promote the product?
The words "whites" and "bright", have a rhyming sequence to make the phrase more rememberable. Making white bright could also be a marketing technique as while other companies are aiming the make clothes whiter, this company tries to go beyond and make it brighter. The style of the top part of the advert makes the heading stand out more because it resembles a comic style.  

4) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the advert (CLAMPS): how is costume, make-up and placement of the model used to suggest women's role in society?
The woman is clearly wearing makeup which reinforces beauty standards that woman had to go with during the 50's. This makes women seem like objects and have a low role in society.

5) Why is a picture of the product added to the bottom right of the advert?
In the 1950's, there was no such thing as online shopping. Because of this, companies had to show pictures of the product so the customer can spot the product in shops.

6) What are the connotations of the chosen colours in this advert - red, white and blue?
The colour is similar to the British flag (patriotic in years after WW2).

7) How does the anchorage text use persuasive language to encourage the audience to buy the product? Give examples.

8) What representation of women can be found in this OMO advert? Make specific reference to the advert and discuss stereotypes.
The woman is cleaning which was and still is a big stereotype for women. In the 1950's, the woman's role was mainly to clean. This red lipstick (make-up) shows that women should be modest and still look modest even when they are cleaning.

9) What is the preferred reading for this advert - what did the producers of the advert want the audience to think in 1955?
The preferred reading is that this is a good product that woman should buy.

10) What is the oppositional reading for this advert - How might a modern audience respond to this text and the representation of women here?
The oppositional reading could be that this advert is offensive against women. A modern audience including men and women may also think that this advert is very offensive because society has changed for the better.