By the end of the 19th century, advertising had proliferated beyond the newspaper and magazine to posters and billboards in public spaces. Trains and streetcars typically carried such notices and the public streets and byways were filled with billboards and other advertising posters. Women were the focal point of advertising campaigns during the 19th century, which capitalized on prevailing attitudes of the time and the changing role of women in society.
Based on the reading and video lectures, answer the following questions:
1. What were the reasons (social, economic and political) for the changes in this advertising? Be specific with text references
2. Do you think the way women were represented reflected the reality of their daily lives at the turn of the century? Back up your answers with specific examples from the text.
3. Do you think women are represented in advertising today reflects the reality of our daily lives? Why or why not? And use specific examples from your experience.
4. Compare and contrast the way women were represented in advertising (from the Victorian Era, the time period at the end of the 19th century and now), which one do you prefer? And why?
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1. The reasons for the changes in advertising during the end of the 19th century were primarily social, economic, and political. Socially, there was a shift in attitudes towards consumerism, with people becoming more interested in purchasing products and services. This created a need for businesses to advertise their offerings in order to attract customers. Economically, the rise of industrialization and the growth of cities led to an increase in competition among businesses, making advertising a necessary tool for businesses to differentiate themselves and attract customers. Politically, the expansion of transportation networks, such as trains and streetcars, provided new opportunities for advertisers to reach a larger audience.
The text reference that supports these reasons is the statement: "Trains and streetcars typically carried such notices and the public streets and byways were filled with billboards and other advertising posters." This shows how the expansion of transportation networks created new spaces for advertisers to display their messages and reach a broader audience.
2. No, the way women were represented in advertising during the Victorian Era did not reflect the reality of their daily lives at the turn of the century. Women were often portrayed as objects of desire or as delicate, fragile beings. They were typically shown in domestic settings, promoting products related to housekeeping and beauty. This representation ignored the reality that women were increasingly seeking equality and pursuing professional careers outside the home.
A specific example from the text is the statement: "Women were the focal point of advertising campaigns during the 19th century, which capitalized on prevailing attitudes of the time and the changing role of women in society." This shows that the advertising campaigns targeted women based on societal attitudes and expectations, rather than accurately reflecting their daily lives.
3. The representation of women in advertising today does not fully reflect the reality of their daily lives. While there have been improvements in diversity and the portrayal of women in more empowered roles, there is still a prevalence of unrealistic beauty standards and objectification. Many advertisements still focus on women's appearance and promote products related to beauty or fashion. This fails to accurately represent the range of roles and experiences that women have in society today.
For example, certain beauty advertisements may promote a flawless appearance as the ideal standard, creating unrealistic expectations for women. Additionally, gender stereotypes are often reinforced, with women being depicted as caregivers or sex objects rather than showcasing their full range of abilities and accomplishments.
4. When comparing and contrasting the way women were represented in advertising during the Victorian Era, at the end of the 19th century, and now, the representation in modern advertising is preferable. This is because modern advertising has made some progress in promoting diversity and portraying women in empowered roles.
While modern advertising still has flaws, such as the perpetuation of beauty standards and gender stereotypes, there has been an increase in campaigns that celebrate women's achievements, challenge societal norms, and promote inclusivity. There is also a greater presence of women in a variety of professional settings in advertisements, reflecting the reality of their daily lives to some extent.
Overall, the preference for modern advertising is based on the greater awareness and efforts towards improving representation and breaking away from the narrow and unrealistic portrayals of women that were prevalent in the past.
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