OMO advert CSP blog tasks

 1) What year was the advert produced?

This advert was from 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.

In 1955, British society was still adjusting after World War Two in which women took on many traditionally male jobs with men off fighting. This led to advertising in the 1950s often trying to reinforce traditional female stereotypes of housewives and mothers in order to protect male power both at work and at home.

3) How does the heading message ('OMO makes whites bright') and the style of the text promote the product?

 The heading message gives an idea to the audience that this product isn't ordinary, instead it is more effective and longer-lasting than all other detergent products. - the colour white connotes purity and cleanliness.

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 OMO advert shows a stereotypical 1950s housewife hanging out the washing. Her hair and clothes help to construct this image, as do the clothes draped over her shoulder. Her facial expression indicates that she is happy about what she is doing, and might be impressed with the cleaning job OMO has done.

5) Why is a picture of the product added to the bottom right of the advert?

A picture of the product is added to the bottom right because when people read they go left to right and top to bottom so they will read all the positive information before they see the actual product.

6) What are the connotations of the chosen colours in this advert - red, white and blue?

The connotations of the colours used such as white suggest something is clean or pure and the colour red connotes blood or sex. Yellow connotes something that is shiny or bright which follows there anchorage text “OMO makes whites”.

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

The anchorage text “whiteness alone won’t do” uses persuasive language  to encourage the audience to buy the product by suggesting that cloths just being white isn’t good enough but by buying OMO you clothes wont only be white they will be “bright” this follows there slogan “adds brightness to whiteness”.

8) What representation of women can be found in this OMO advert? Make specific reference to the advert and discuss stereotypes.

This follows the stereotype that woman are supposed to be doing chores for example the washing and drying also the expression on her also suggests that  woman are overly emotional about everything .From what  the woman is wearing it suggests that woman loves dresses also the amount of make-up she is wearing.

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 for this advert is that women are supposed to do all the housework happily and that women are owned by their husbands. This is shown by her happily hanging all men’s clothes with a deranged smile on her face and also by the red lipstick she is wearing which connotes sex as well as the dress.

10) What is the oppositional reading for this advert - how might a modern audience respond to this text and the representation of women here?

A modern audience would consider this advert sexist and racist because it wasn’t until 1972 that woman got equal rights in America  and the anchorage text “OMO makes white bright” and since the woman is white it may suggest without OMO “whites” are not “bright” or less subtle without OMO white people are not smart.