Tide Print Advert Analysis

layout and design

largest image placed left of centre - woman hugging tide box

overlaps other image to show importance

text and info surrounds it

'wordy' info in small text and to the side

text on top and bottom emphasises importance

images

the main image shows a 'modern' elite white woman hugging a Tide box, seeming very content

a secondary image is of two middle-class white women hanging their laundry talking about how good tide is

The advert is aimed at young/middle aged women who are middle class housewives.  The main image is of a woman hugging the Tide washing powder, which would be seen as excessive and exaggerating to an audience today, but appealing and ideal for an audience in the 1950s. This is mainly due to the glamorous aspect of the woman, with a costume that'd be trendy for the time, shaped after Hollywood movie stars, as fashion and celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe were on the rise. All the images revolve around the traditional, middle-class, white woman ideal who looks similar to celebrities and people of importance due to the uprise of television and celebrity magazines. This suggests to women that you can be glamorous and do the domestic chores in the house, making Tide's main image an aspiration for its audience.

This advert uses a number of exclamation points and capital letters along with the bright red colour of the lexis and tagline of "TIDE'S GOT WHAT WOMEN WANT". It is informal and catchy due to the alliteration employed, making it marketable. Tide uses women to sell the product by the glamorised image, which is condemned by Van Zoonen's feminist theory  as women are being objectified and mysogenized.

On the other hand, one could look at the advert as a less condescending but rather helpful one. Postwar American wealth meant money was actually available to buy products and Tide washing powder could have helped many women, hence the positive facial expression and the hugging.