OMO advert CSP:

 

1) What year was the advert produced?

The OMO advert was produced in 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.

 

Women in the 1950s advertisements were seen to meet strict beauty standards and typical stereotypes.

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

The style of the text makes it appealing to others seeing the poster. Using sentences like "adds brightness to whiteness" makes the poster memorable and catchy . The text in capital letters in bold makes OMO seem a very confident brand which is implying OMO is superior to other cleaning brands.

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 clothing she is wearing is very modest. In the advert , you can see her sleeves rolled up which has connotations she is busy and has allot of work to do. She also has laundry flipped over her shoulder which shows its a 'job'.  Her makeup also shows even though she is cleaning she still has to look presentable . This is shown with her perfectly curled hair and bold lipstick. The placement she is in connotates she is busy and someone is interrupting what she is doing. The camera angle is placed over her shoulder and she seems surprised and happy which shows she is enjoying what she's doing. The background of the picture (standing in front of a washing line) shows the expectations of women in the 1950s.

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

The picture of the product is added at the bottom so the customers wanting to buy the product so they can remember what to buy in the shops . This is because in the 1950s you couldn't order things online.

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

The combination of the colours could relate to the post war . However , the colour red could symbolise the idea of power and showing the brand is superior. The colour white could infer the idea of cleanliness as the brand slogan is " adds brightness to whiteness" . The colour blue connotes the sense of freshness , the colour blue also relates to loyalty and trust which could relate to customers staying loyal to the product/brand.

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

The use of adjectives for example bright , white would appeal to the people seeing this advert , specifically women as they were more likely to do the cleaning in that period of time. By the advert saying "OMO adds.." it adds trust to the brand and also authority.

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

In the advert , there are stereotypes of women being housewives, this is seen by the women's sleeves being rolled up which infers she is doing allot of cleaning and tidying. Another stereotype is even though the women is cleaning up she is still expected to look presentable and 'beautiful' . Her facial expression in the advert  is shown to be surprised and joyous . Her expression being happy also infers OMO can add happiness to housewives . The text " This'll  shake you , mother"  is identifying that cleaning jobs are targeted at mothers and women especially. This shows that a women's identity is based on her responsibilities around the house. The quote "Whiteness alone wont do it" infers that women are expected to do more and suggests women are based and judged on the quality of her laundry. 

9) What is the preferred reading for this advert - what did the producers of the advert want the audience to think in 1955?

The audience was intended to believe that OMO was superior to other cleaning brands. Producers wanted women to believe that achieving perfectly clean laundry was the key to their happiness. 

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 image suggests that a woman's identity and worth are tied solely to her cleaning skills.