Fairy Liquid: Married Hands

1969
Silent
1m

Fairy Liquid helps married hands keep that single girl look'.

A young partygoer sits in disbelief that a wife and mother of three could have impossibly young, soft hands. Her secret? Fairy Liquid, of course. This striking yet outdated and sexist advert was directed by prolific filmmaker John Krish. Like many of his contemporaries, Krish would direct adverts and sponsored shorts between feature projects.

Advertisement for Fairy Liquid washing-up liquid. Two women at a party. One
surprises the other by telling her she is married, but explains that Fairy
Liquid keeps her hands looking 'unmarried'.

What Women Want?

Caring mums, hard-working housewives or independent, fun-loving 'new women' - the female consumer has long been a target of screen advertising.

In the cause of selling anything from baked beans to washing powders to all manner of labour-saving devices, advertisers have promised to make women's lives easier and to help them build happy homes and successful relationships.

There's no getting past the fact that women have all-too often been patronised and objectified by a male-dominated advertising industry. But screen advertising also tells (and sells) a more positive story of social progress for women, with increasing social and economic independence. This collection tracks the ups and downs of female empowerment in the 20th century, with its false steps as revealing as its forward ones.