Deconstructing Ads

The most noticeable thing about this ad is the large amounts of writing. It literally gives advice for specific situations and later recommends the use of Kotex pads for these situations. My 21st century attention span could barely handle the amount of text. This advertisement makes a legitimate argument: Kotex is the most comfortable and discrete, making everyday events more enjoyable. It does not sell sex or narcissism, but merely comfort and happiness. The men and women in the ad are fully clothed and not at all erotic, they’re wholesome and charming. Basically, this ad depicts the social commonalities of the time: courtship, manners, conservative values, stay-at-home-moms and bread-winning dads—you’re basic 1950s conventions. Not to say that every household was a “leave it to Beaver” household, but that was the family stereotype portrayed at the time; much like how the family stereotype now is the mini-van-driving soccer mom who dominates the family as well as the working but unavailable, bumbling father (reference: “The Simpsons” and “Malcom in the Middle”). The media reflects the current societal stereotypes to make the audience feel comfortable and familiar with the subject matter, and by doing so, letting the audience feel more contented in buying the  product.

Cybil Shepard is spread eagle in this ad. The ad is so primarily sexual that the text at the bottom is barely even noticed. When the one finally gets around to reading that this is an advertisement for a sanitary napkin with deodorant, the true scandalous-ness of the ad is realized. To put it bluntly, there is perfume emanating from Cybil’s vagina. Despite it’s vulgarity, this ad is publicly accepted: in magazines, pasted on the sides of buses and buildings, and put on billboards. This blatant display of sexuality emerged in the 1960s partly because of the “free love” movement, partly because of the pot smoking, but mostly because the conventions of society had changed so drastically. This ad sells the Kotex pad as something that will increase a woman’s sexiness (because we all know that a diaper-like-device between your legs is SO sexy) and that this pad will make your vagina smell like a bed of roses, subtly wafting men into an undeniable vortex of sex. For all the ladies reading this, you all know as well as I that there is nothing sexy or aromatic about menstruation. Sorry I had to go there, but it’s true.