PRINTER'S INK written by Kirstin Hammerberg Consumerism in Printer's Ink and Niketown - Click here to download Word version > back to main page The Female Role of Consumption The root of women's role as a predominant consumer in America can be traced back to the late nineteenth century arising from the development of a capitalist economy. During this era the traditional way of life was uprooted and replaced with the contemporary values inherent within commercial capitalism. Females were enticed from the confines of their homes into the city, the breeding ground of the department store, which represented the physical manifestation of the capitalist system (Leach, 12). The consumption of goods by women embodied the philosophy of the time, which emphasized the "new" and thereby manipulated desire. "White", middleclass American women dominated the central purchasing position within this business-oriented society (Abelson, 170). Advertisements from post World War II still vividly portrayed the female's central role as a consumer. Yet, despite the ongoing generalization that these women were the most active purchasing agents in the economy, their "role" as a consumer varied from prior decades. Illustrated in these 1946 to 1948 advertisements, the amount of power that these women held within society, as well as their political and economic involvement were the determinants instrumental in defining their role as a consumer. By the end of the nineteenth century the righteous rhetoric of traditional morals were overthrown by the emergence of a new "social order" (Susman, 4). The development of individual personality, the prominence of aesthetic pleasure and leisure activities were all hallmarks of finance capitalism (Susman, 12). The city was seemingly altered into a site of spectacle as retail displays, advertising and department stores were fashioned to nurture the expanse of capitalist culture (Leach, 23). The female has been correlated as the principal consumer within this "new" economy, and has continuously been personified as the leading consumer throughout history. The advertisements from 1946-1948 strongly supported this notion. As one ad from 1948 quoted "women spend 85 cents out of every American dollar" (Printer's Ink, 12) (Figure 1). An ad from 1947 displayed the headline "The Most Powerful Purchasing Agent in the World" and illustrated an affluent white woman in the center of the ad (Printer's Ink, 13) (Figure 2). The importance of the American woman as a primary consumer and the emphasis placed on retaining her business was portrayed in an advertisement focusing on female youth. A young teen is shown grocery shopping in a fashionable ensemble (Figure 3). Such a domestic activity is not commonly exhibited within this youthful age group (Printer's Ink, 56). Thus, the American girl is projected as a target whereupon advertisers exercised their manipulative strategies in order to shape consumption by this woman of the future. Although the depiction of women as the primary consumer has gone unrivaled throughout history, their consumption patterns seemed to have changed. The principle reason why women shopped within the "new" business-oriented culture of the early nineteenth century was to fulfill family needs. "Shopping denoted freedom from one sort of labor and signified, as well, the intricate texture of women's lives in which domestic work and leisure were often confused"(Abelson, 158). In contrast, the advertisements from 1946-1948 showed women purchasing a wider array of goods. In a 1948 advertisement there was some contention regarding the purchasing roles of women in the sales and selection of automobiles. This advertisement clearly stated that women dominated the majority of consumption within families, just not when it was time to purchase an automobile. Across the top of the advertisement a heading reads, "Blasting a Current Belief about Women", and within the text of the ad it states, "You wouldn't think that men ever buy anything the way a lot of people talk" (Printer's Ink, 12). A pictorial chart shown in the left corner of the ad illustrates that only six wives would ever buy a car on their own, in comparison to 74 husbands. The character used to represent the woman in the ad is small with a frown on her face. In direct contrast to the female, the male depicted is tall, wearing a shirt and tie and has a wide smile on his face (Figure 1). The connotative meaning underlying these denotative drawings suggest women as weak and men as strong (Barthes, 35). Yet, what must not be overlooked was the fact that women were represented at all, even as a minimal consumer of vehicles. Thus, these ads revealed the developing diversity of consumption patterns in relationship to the domestic goods that were purchased in the previous decades. In contrast to this advertisement an ad from 1947 epitomized Caucasian American women between the ages of twenty-five to fifty as the most imperative market. This ad exemplified the purchasing power of the women "whether these sales be food, furniture, automobiles, apparel, cosmetics, insurance, vitamin pills, pianos- or new shoes for Junior, a layette outfit for the new arrival or a new suit for hubby"(Printer's Ink, 17). The advertisement illustrates a woman clutching a bundle of goods composed of the contents in the aforementioned quote. Surrounding this central picture a multiplicity of shopping scenes revolve around this central picture stressing the importance of the female consumer throughout various walks of life (Figure 2). These advertisements were instrumental in revealing the emerging consumer pattern of American women, and the diversity of markets they began to impact. The females depicted in the advertisements from 1946-1948 seem to have possessed a higher social standing in contrast to the female consumers of the early nineteenth century. In this previous era female shopping and purchasing patterns were primarily a domestic role that women were obligated to fulfill. The money spent on the goods was most often considered the husbands', as the male was considered the breadwinner of such middle-class Caucasian families. Empowered in the domestic arena as mothers and homemakers, women dominated the consumption process- there was little division of labor here- yet they had virtually no control over money. A woman's allowance or pocket money was generally a gift bestowed, not something to which she was entitled (Abelson, 166). Thus, the leisure time spent shopping to fulfill the will of desire and personal gratitude was often seen as possible only through the husband's paycheck. Throughout history the female gained an economic position that was subsequently unnoticed. As portrayed in these post WWII advertisements women were connoted not only as conscious, educated consumers but also as economically successful. This is specifically portrayed in an advertisement for "Charm" magazine that targeted advertisers themselves. The advertisement shows a woman's leg whose high-heeled foot elegantly punctuates the center of the ad. In an almost opaque depiction a similar leg is mirrored, with bare feet, behind the high-heeled foot. This advertisement associates the high-heeled foot with the "modern" businesswoman. A sense of assertiveness and affirmation emits from the leg's sturdy disposition. A sketch of the businesswoman in motion occupies the bottom left corner of the ad. The pace of the character is portrayed through her wide stride and expressive arm movement. A quote under the drawing reads, "the business girl has a passion for fashion", which is exemplified in the woman's stylish skirt, ruffled short sleeved blouse and matching hat (Printer's Ink, 111 (Figure 4). The businesswoman is shown as a fast paced success, and her well-rounded goals are highlighted; "…A smart pace in the clothes she wears, the job she holds, the home she plans to have…" (Printer's Ink, 111). The businesswoman is represented as a self-sufficient consumer that is not only fashion conscious, but also planning for her future domestic sphere. Seemingly, advertisers targeted these women because of their ability to provide for themselves and the interest they exercised in various business markets. This stood in stark contrast to the female represented in prior decades as a consumer whose purchasing patterns were seen as impulsive and irrational (Abelson, 170). Frequently the women of the late nineteenth century turned to shoplifting as a means to acquire the goods they felt would be unacceptable by their husbands. Therefore, despite the continuous illustration of women as a leading segment of consumption, the power of women within the American economy was historically contextualized. The advertisements from 1946-1948 depicted a vastly different political time period compared to those of the beginning of the century. The female consumers within these advertisements were represented after the surge of consumer activism in the 1930's (Glickman, 118). The new economic and political point of view during the time of the depression erased the notion of overproduction and instead created a new perception of under-consumption (Cohen, 118). The consumers were highlighted as the fuel that would perpetuate the economy, and the economy was seen as the vehicle toward political democracy and egalitarianism (Cohen, 111). The new emphasis placed on the consumer to elevate America out of the milieu of the depression unearthed the importance of purchasing goods not only for personal desire and domestic responsibilities, but also as a civic obligation. This bestowed another form of power onto "white", middle-class American women who were considered the primary consumer group. Exemplified in an advertisement from1946 the importance of the consumer, especially female, is reinforced. The bold headline reads "Unless the cash register RINGS the factory whistle can't BLOW!" Under this heading another caption reads, "Nothing happens in our economy until something is SOLD" (Printer's Ink, 86). In the top left hand corner a Caucasian woman is purchasing various parcels of goods, dollar signs spewing from the cash register. Another Caucasian woman is passing the consumer her change. Large, overt smiles dominate the women's faces. On the opposite page of this two-page spread, a bustling factory is depicted. A positive atmosphere is connoted by the music notes emitted from a whistle on the factory wall (Figure 5). The emphasis placed on consumption in the 1930's showed the impact of shopping in a new light. It was highlighted as an act that would not only fulfill personal desires but would also perpetuate the economy and its political arena (Cohen, 117). By exploring the representation of "white", middle-class, American woman depicted in the advertisements from 1946 to 1948 in relation to other historical time periods, it became apparent that the female role of consumption was continuously being altered. The general impression that woman have dominated the purchasing power within the economy is only partially valid. Women have been consecutively impacted by their societal, economical and political position within America that in turn has regulated their power as a consumer. > back to main page