Eldorado Ice Cream: Beautiful Women

1937
Silent
1m

An ice cream a day keeps the wrinkles away...

In an advertising campaign which would never fly today, this cinema commercial promises that a daily helping of Eldorado ice cream is the first step to 'radiant health and glamorous beauty'. It's even hinted that famous females throughout history have employed similar 'womanly blandishments' in their pursuit of power.

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.