tide

Question 1

what are the codes and conventions of washing powder in the 1950s?

Answer 1

• makes it easier and less work for women
• it is only for women (only woman on advert)- pushing the idea of the american dream and adhering to the trad values that were popular at the time (good method of profit- capitalism)
• knowledge of political unrest was becoming more widespread at the time, audiences may have begun to be politically aware about their products and what ideology they wanted to support

Question 2

what are the codes and conventions of washing powder today?

Answer 2

• works well in cold water for environmental friendliness (which means companies are still adhering to the contemporary values of the audience)
• experiments, the before and after is usually shown as proof (not having this in the original shows the view/stereotype of women as gullible and having no critical thinking)
• mud vs washing powder, how well it removes dirt (proves reliability, you have to do less work!- links with previous point)
• target audience can be anyone, not just women are shown in these kinds of adverts anymore (adhering to values of the audience, and society generally instead of pushing the ‘american dream’ agenda like in Tide)

Question 3

when was Procter and Gamble launched?

Answer 3

1946

Question 4

“No wonder you women buy TIDE than any other washday product!”

Answer 4

• ‘you women’ uses divisive language to create a binary opposition between them and us (this is not as clear cut in modern texts)- there is a clear split between institution and consumer (who has the power?)
• shows patriarchy- ‘you women’ implies that the writers at the company are all men, this also reinforces the popularity of traditional values- woman’s job is not paid work.
• it is marketed towards women, men did not do housework because it was seen as a woman’s job
• the language codes used are almost condescending and insulting, by reinforcing the patriarchal and institutional power that the company has over the everyday housewife and her opinions
• exclaimation mark is used to make it sound exciting and enthusiastic
• the typography is playful and feels like handwriting, giving it a heartfelt and friendly mode of address which women are more likely to trust (they are seen as empathetic enough to fall for this)

Question 5

“TIDE’S GOT WHAT WOMEN WANT”

Answer 5

• visual codes: the writing curves like a wave, giving connotations of the sea, the tide.
• alliteration has been used to make it catchy
• exclamation mark used again to make it exciting and enthusiastic, as well as the playful typography and wave which represents tide as women’s friend
• assumes all women want the same thing by using the generalisation “women”- this stereotypes women in a sexist way based off of the assumption that all women should be housewives and there is no other choice, therefore they want tide.
• presented as meeting the needs of the consumer, what they ‘want’ not just what they ‘need’, this gives the impression that it’s making their job easier

Question 6

NO SOAP- NO OTHER “SUDS”- NO OTHER WASHING PRODUCT KNOWN- WILL GET YOUR WASH AS CLEAN AS TIDE!

• paired with the woman in front of the frothy washing machine

Answer 6

• uses the power of three (no) to be catchy, as well as the house colours of the brand for visual memorability
• presents itself as making womens’ job easier because not everything is being done with her bare hands
• uses persuasive and promotional language
• exclusivity is created through the presentation of tide as the best
• this text anchors the image of the woman who is holding it

Question 7

what’s different about the persuasion tactics used in Tide vs modern texts?

Answer 7

• tide uses a communal feel and familiarity to make women feel secure and trusting of what the advert says (the other white housewife in the cartoon, friends)
• the beloved american ideals are communicated through language codes and visual codes representing women as domesticated: the contemporary audience who harbour resentment towards foreign countries’ ideals outside the western world would trust this quintessential american branding.
• promises of the american dream and representation of women as happy- the idea that ‘you’ can be too if you buy it.
• peaceful image of going about your everyday life associated with the american dream, keeping the peace by contributing to society in the tried and true way.

Question 8

visual codes, connotations and ideology: what does the central image communicate to us?

Answer 8

• the woman wears lipstick: connoting attractiveness, femininity, desireability and stereotypes. femininity is constructed as domestic and maternal as well as looking perfect.
• her arm is raised as well as wearing a headband: connotations of the ‘we can do it’ feminism advert which makes her seem powerful (oppositional reading)
• the dominant reading of this would be that she is representing the women of the country (who are stereotyped to all be like this)
  -she hugs the box: this represents women as maternal and loving, as well as housewifery being their only purpose and passion, they are stereotyped as simple-minded
• she may love it because it lets her do less work- new and exciting machine washery
• american dream ideology is presented because she is happy and affectionate, housework brings her joy
• idea of attractive white woman with nuclear family being the american dream is promoted here- this makes women want to live up to unattainable ideals.
• the colours used are the house colours of the brand, red white and blue (as well as british/american flag promoting western patriotism)
• blue connotes the sea + the tide

Question 9

cartoon at the bottom- what is the significance?

Answer 9

• housewifery is represented as a positive and communal experience, the isolating side is ignored here. persuasive tactics.
• slang is used, furthering the friendly mode of address within the advert and creating trust between other women
• the american community is presented in a traditional way, white women in dresses doing their housework
• the typography underneath has a comic strip style- informal mode of address, also condescending through the use of simple, bold sentences which are quite childlike
• the technical details are in a serif font, communicating that these are the serious things that stupid women don’t need to worry about!
• repetition of visual code- text is in a wave to repeat what was earlier said- reinforcement.

Question 10

ADD SOME THEORISTS AND HOW THEY RELATE