In 1951, Kemmons Wilson, a homebuilder in Tennessee, took his family on a car trip to Washington, D.C. Day after day, he faced the problem of finding a decent place for his family to spend the night. As rewards for their high sales, Tupperware dealers were rewarded with top-of-the-line appliances, from washing machines to double boilers. Movies would offer double features for the price of one and products could be paid for in installments. The economy was booming and everything was all jukeboxes and wholesome family dinners. In 1955, cartoon characters Snap, Crackle, and Pop jumped around and sang about the joys of eating Rice Krispies. A multi-author collection of research on 20th century consumerism and advertising. | Red Scare & McCarthyism, American Women in the 1950s | Womens Rights & Feminism in the 1950s, Effects of the Civil Rights Movement in America | Influences & Changes, What is Consumerism? Many stores existed between both boundaries, attempting to offer stylish merchandise at discounted prices (Huddleston). Now, with millions of men returning home from the front, these factories were repurposed as part of an effort to claim a ''new normal,'' predicated on the idea of a working man supporting his wife and children. But behind the myth of the games creation is an untold tale of theft, obsession and corporate double-dealing. While the expansion of the middle class and a corresponding rise in consumerism reached many communities, product package design and advertising images reflect the discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and gender that prevailed at this time. Many people downsized, because of necessity. Christmas is an old and storied tradition, drawing upon centuries of rituals and beliefs so that people around the world can enjoy a shared celebration of fellowship and gift-giving. In the spirit of the holiday consumerism propaganda, and the overall joy of buying Christmas presents, a glance back at advertisement propaganda and consumerism culture back in the 1950's reveals that America's target consumers weren't mostly frenzied parents and adults - it was females. Advertisers began limiting TV commercials to 30 seconds to save money. The 1950s are most often remembered as a quiet decade, a decade of conformity, stability, and normalcy. The industrial structures that had first given rise to mass production in the late 19th century and been amplified by the need for rapid manufacture of goods for the war effort during the 1940s were now repurposed to provide luxury goods and convenience items for the rising American middle class. In 1933, Arthur Kallet, director of Consumers Research, and Frederick Schlink, an engineer published 100,000 Guinea Pigs: Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics. In 1936, the Consumers Union, a union owned and controlled by organized consumers, was founded. The uses of the radio were still up but television provided something that radio could not: picture. The two decades led to historical breakthroughs as well as setbacks; they are imperative to the history of the United States. The 1950s could be called the advertiser's dream decade. They would appeal to their sense of a good deal, or more for their money. Consumerism Introduction . Popular TV cowboys stepped out of character to pitch breakfast cereals and other youth-oriented products. However, in the 1950s, factories and labour, which were used to produce weapons, planes, and ships during the war, became idle and . Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. Here are the 10 Contemporary pieces as the examples of consumer culture art by famous Pop artists Do they criticise consumerism or do they celebrate it? She holds a Masters Degree in Teaching Middle Grades Social Studies and Science from Mercer University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Emory University. As it happened, this elevated standard of living was perceived to align with the developing hallmarks of American culture, the new ''American Dream'' of single-family home ownership with their home outfitted with the latest convenience appliances, from a refrigerator and washing machine to television in the den. Historian Elained Tyler Maybelieves that the federal government and the American people saw the new consumerism as a way to deemphasize class differences while stressing traditional gender roles. The TV was easily the most important domestic consumer product in the 1950s (Cross). Advertisers began a slow trek to TV by the early 1950s. Innovations in technology, expansion of white-collar jobs, more credit, and new groups of consumers fueled prosperity. Kevin has edited encyclopedias, taught history, and has an MA in Islamic law/finance. There was little use for massive bombers and armored tanks now that the country was, at least for the time being, at peace. Between 1946 and 1953, movie audiences had shrunk by half (Cross). Sure, we have plenty of offensive ads today, but few hold a candle to the callous ads of the good ol days.. such as gas stations, motels, and restaurants, which sprang up at interstate exits. The television was now a common household staple and the advertising opportunities seemed endless. Start Key points Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, increased factory production and economic prosperity in the United States contributed to a rise in consumer culture dominated by recognizable product brands and iconic advertising images popularized through mass media. Even though economic collapse in the 1930s and diversion of commodities to the war effort in the 1940s dramatically reduced personal spending, American business continued to seek new ways and new things to sell to consumers (Cross). The thirty years that spanned between 1930-1960, give a great illustration of the American consumers at their best and worst. Popular destinations included the multitude of drive-in movie theaters and carhop restaurants that appeared almost overnight. March 01, 2023. Labor and civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph argued that equality of opportunity could not be left to the marketplace. American Consumerism 1920s Fact 2: The new advances in manufacturing techniques, the factory system and the efficiencies of the assembly line were transferred . Create your account, 14 chapters | The biggest and best-known manufacturing company was the automaker General Motors. The end of World War. A Consumer Republic. This consumerism was driven by advertising, designed to make people want more things, better things, and newer things. Television and automobile sales skyrocketed in the 1950s. succeed. The introduction of the credit card system assisted consumers in achieving this new dream. Your email address will not be published. Within this time frame of 1930 to 1960, discount stores targeting shoppers who wanted good products for good prices were created. suburban homes had yards and crime was low. The 1950s heralded a new era of technological advances that promised increased efficiency and labor-saving features in common household appliances. Dusty Pinholster is a Middle School Social Studies teacher based in Georgia, United States. An important factor in GMs success was an improved relationship with its workers. Advertising We'll write a high-quality original custom paper on Consumerism in the 1950's just for you with a 15% discount for the 1st order Use a Discount Use a Discount We'll write a high-quality original custom paper on Consumerism in the 1950's just for you with a 15% discount for the 1st order Use a Discount Use a Discount The 1950s were an exciting time. Concepts of "the future" shaped the 1950s experience in many ways: In the late 1940s and early 1950s, when Walt Disney was making plans for a safe and clean family park, amusement parks had a . Families of all income brackets were buying televisions at a rate of five million a year. America had an electronic mall by the mid-'50s. JFK Foreign Policy & the Cold War | What were JFK's Cold War Policies? Movies, records, and television spurred sales of products through advertising and product placement. Ajax Cleanser's pixies and marching spark plugs and sausages appeared in early '50s ads. Historian Elaine Tyler May noted, "The values associated with domestic spending upheld traditional American concerns with pragmatism and morality, rather than opulence and luxury. Each decade had its own unique style of advertising, but one period of time really stands in stark contrast to what were accustomed to today. Two-toned cars finished in colors such as Sunset Coral and Seafoam Green sported tailfins, wrap-around windshields, and flashy, chrome trim. In 1950, Coca-Cola launched its first television ad campaign using animation and celebrities to endorse their product. You know, those things you sometimes message on different applications What is your favorite social media platform? After all, Tupperware was meant to help housewives maintain freshness and cleanliness in food storage and preparation. Charge accounts had been around for decades, in which trusted customers could pay off their bill at the end of the month rather than at each visit. Others could not consolidate their need to consume with the economic climate and were unwilling to abandon some luxuries. The interstate highway system benefited the country in many ways. Print ads, by contrast, were two-dimensional and static. Some charged extra for children. Perhaps the most stereotypical of these was the automobile. As the population of the United States soared during the 1950s, median family income doubled and the gross national product grew by more than $200 billion. The consumers union reports emerge in the same year. The products sold on TV defined the '50s. - Definition & History, William Monroe Trotter: Quotes & Biography, Cordell Hull: Secretary of State & Biography, Neil Armstrong: Biography, Facts & Moon Landing, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. by Jenna | Mar 6, 2017 | Content | Social Media | Email, Blog, Branding | Graphic Design, Marketing. 2018 by San Francisco Airport Commission. As the majority of Americans came to depend on cars for transportation, they demanded more and better roads. Advertising and credit replaced rationing and restraint, and a growing number of middle-class families engaged in a spending spree. Quiz-show investigations brought rigging charges against producers, forcing TV network executives to step in and take over program production. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. This rising tide of consumerism was encouraged by the burgeoning medium of TV advertising, which in the 1950s was able to reach into the homes and minds of American citizens en masse for the first time. After World War II, Americans lived in a time of unprecedented economic prosperity and industrial development. Consumer Spending, 1950-1960. The heyday of the full service gas station reached its peak in those post World War II years. 4-minute read. The television made great headway in the advertisement of goods and the reinforcement of the family structure. Its difficult to believe these ads were not only common, but fairly tame compared to others from the same era. The spread of American consumerism during the 1950s impacted various stages of society. Americans were ready to buy homes, cars, clothes and products to validate their leisurely lifestyles. Ad agencies helped their TV-sponsor clients pick the shows that would air and decide on the content. Consumer consumption peaked at a historically high level. While some of these examples are so absurd theyve become funny to us now, others are nothing short of horrifying. As the population of the United States soared during the 1950s, median family income doubled and the gross national product grew by more than $200 billion. Advertisers in the 1920's laid the foundations for many facets of modern advertising, but the 1950's allowed for unprecedented growth as Americans began to "spend their way to prosperity". Home Layout 3NewsTechnology All CodingHosting Create Device Mockups Browser with DeviceMock Creating Local Server From Public Address Professional Gaming Can Build Career CSS Properties You Should Know The Psychology Price. Consumer needs were constantly changing due to wars, shifts in the economy, advancements in technology and various other factors. With the war ending and families being reunited, a huge increase in population erupted: The Baby Boom. It all sounds perfect, right? Television fitted well into the home, as a simpler, cheaper, and more convenient family leisure activity. By the end of the 1950s, General Motors had the most sold units of cars at 13,419,048. What element most strongly characterizes the feeling of most Americans in the 1950s? New and expanded federal programs, including the G.I. With the massive growth in suburban populations, automobiles were needed more than ever, and were within reach for many first-time buyers. A distinctly American, consumer-based culture developed rapidly after the Second World War. New technologies such as Constitution Avenue, NW The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and the growth of suburbs both . The sexism of 1950s advertising is infamous, and for good reason. An example a cooking stove was advertised a product that could limit the amount of time and labor done in the kitchen and more time to spend with their family. There are, obviously, some standard modes of practice that are tried and true. Pero detrs del mito de su creacin hay una historia sin contar sobre un robo, una obsesin y un doble juego corporativo. In 1951, TV earned $41 million in advertising revenue, a small fortune by today's multibillion-dollar figures. These affordable single-family housing units were then filled with mass-produced convenience items, including vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, washing machines, and television sets. googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; At the end of World War II, American soldiers returned home to a country quite different from the one they had left four years earlier. Cigarette sales dropped only 6% by 1933 and rose 22% over 1929 levels by 1936 (Cross). As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Consumerism of the 1950s wasn't about need, it was about appearance, especially with neighbors. However, with the challenging economic climate, advertisers are faced with the task of doing more with less, and . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. The history of American advertising is something that has always fascinated me. It also was a bigger representation of family values often the programming was family centered and the family centeree programming perpetuated the idea of family coming together and being a unit. Post-Civil War U.S. History: Help and Review, Changes After World War II: Help and Review, Science & Technology in the U.S. in the 1950s, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses. As the chief symbol of consumer culture, advertising has also been a chief subject of analysis for critics looking for the hidden springs of American life. Required fields are marked *. During the 1950's in people were concerned with the idea of consumerism which meant that society was constantly looking for the next best product to come on the market. Open Document. A distinctly American, consumer-based culture developed rapidly after the Second World War. Advertising trends to promote shifts in purchasing bolstered this upward economic trend by changing the way Americans viewed retail goods. Kevin has edited encyclopedias, taught history, and has an MA in Islamic law/finance. Tupperware culture is infused with the rhetoric of positive thinking manuals, a genre of writing with a long history in the United States. This increase in consumer activity continued into the 1920s, when the installment system, buying large items on credit and paying the cost over time in installments, was first introduced. American industry was able to produce massive quantities of consumer goods, but those goods only sat in warehouses until they were purchased. This made life at that time an exciting time to be alive; this began the rise of consumerism. Remember the days when there was just Myspace? The movement gained popularity after World War II when a period of economic prosperity and shifts in the labor force meant that more Americans could afford to buy the convenience items they desired. Some were clean. Gender Roles in the 1950s History & Impact | What are Gender Roles? Tag along for a peek into advertising in the 1950s and 1960s. The advertising industry is ever-changing and evolving. This time they had a more powerful tool than print ads: television. Consumers were able to see images accompanied with sound upon a screen. The Great Society Programs & Lyndon B. Johnson | What was the Great Society? These types of advertisements are often focused even more narrowly on a specific demographic or target audience to increase effectiveness and message penetration among that audience. Rising incomes, easy credit, and aggressive marketing helped create a culture of consumption in the 1950s. During World War II, the whole country's industrial power had been focused on one thing and one thing only: destroying the Axis Powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan. And, as political, social, and economic dynamics shift, so do the ways in which we consume media and interact with brands. The lure of the new medium and potential for wealth eventually beat out price. End of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles & the League of Nations. End of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles & the League of Nations. Cars and TVs Television and automobile sales skyrocketed in the 1950s. Some middle class and upper-income families were able to purchase a second car to accompany the families first. Its amazing to see how much the visual aesthetic evolved as a result of the changing times. CREATIVE. Americans did not mind this lack of goods because it was all for the good of the war effort but it often left them with more money than they could spend. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. 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