SHE SAID

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Sexist Tire Commercial, A Sign of the Times

In 1970, Goodyear produced a commercial for their new tires. Looking at it now, we think “How sexist and stereotypical!” And certainly, it was, but let’s take a look at what the world was like for women in the 1970’s.

On TV, the shows to watch were Mary Tyler Moore, Charlie’s Angels and The Bionic Woman. On the surface these seem like independent, working women who know their own mind and achieve success. In reality, they were women who are given their “power” by men. Lou Grant hires Mary and she answers to him. The “Angels” are ruled by Charlie and his sidekick Bosley. Jamie, the Bionic Woman, was created and controlled by Oscar. All three use some form of female persuasion to get things they want. Jamie and the Angels use sex appeal while Mary uses old fashioned, motherly caring. This was as far into the female liberation movement as TV was willing to go.

Commercials also tried to portray female independence but in a sexist way. The popular Virginia Slims commercials with the familiar "You've Come a Long Way, Baby”, for example. In the background, they flashed pictures of women in the 20’s and 30’s being punished by men (husbands, clergy, police officers) for smoking cigarettes. The ads showed slim, classy looking ladies smoking, as if puffing on a Virginia Slims cigarette was a personal rebellion against women’s traditional roles.

It’s no surprise then, that Goodyear would produce a commercial that would be aimed at husbands, who were the major breadwinners and decision makers for most families at the time. It played on their protective instincts and masculine egos. I’m sure, even today; it would strike a chord with some husbands and fathers.

So is the Goodyear commercial of 1970 sexist, yes, definitely. But that was the 70’s and this is now. According to Ford, statistics show that women are directly responsible for 45-50 percent of all new vehicles purchased in the United States, and they have a direct influence on up to 80 percent of all vehicle sales.

Margaret Brooks, marketing director for small cars and crossovers at Chevrolet, says GM does lots of target market exploration when developing new cars. “It is now critical to understand what women consider most when buying a new car since she is ultimately going to not only drive the purchase decision, but be the driver and the one we ultimately need to satisfy,” says Brooks. You can bet that Goodyear would never, in a million years, produce a commercial like this one in 2011. Women are large and in charge of their own lives today and are a force to be reckoned with. We truly have come a long way baby!


Take a look for yourelf: Sexist or not? You tell us!

http://www.youtube.com/watchv=rC5aGCOT6bs&feature=player_embedded

These were the 70's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrjbo9QRLk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J30lYdanqV8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeFLbUIFl5Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEdWvYA0icg