THE 1950s HOUSEWIFE
"Of all the gals who do their wash… She gets the cleanest clothes in town… she swears by Tide!"
- Tide, 1952
The idea of the traditional housewife was a common concept in advertising during the mid-1900s. Typically white, attractive women were shown as happy to be doing their work and using whatever product was being sold. These ideals and subsequent ad campaigns stemmed from the restrictive gender roles of the time.
"No wonder women are in love with that wonderful tide!"
- Tide, 1950s
The advertisements feature statements that specifically target women, claiming their housework would be made substantially easier with the purchase of tide. The women are shown gleefully smiling and posing while doing their laundry with tide. The only mention of any man in the ads is in reference to how clean his clothes are because his wife uses Tide to do his laundry.
"He wears the cleanest shirts in town...his 'Missus' swears by Tide!"
- Tide, 1950s
