Sexism in Kellogg's PEP Cereal advertisement

PEP!

Since I was a little girl, my mother always made it clear that a husband was unobtainable if a woman could not properly tend to his needs. I learned how to cook, how to clean, how to do laundry, and I even learned how to take care of my younger siblings all because, according to my mother, these responsibilities were a woman’s duty; it was her job. For centuries, this has been the mindset for every woman, which has been passed down from generation to generation. A stereotype that has influenced a culture and defined a human being. In this 1930’s Kellogg’s PEP Cereal advertisement we witness yet another stereotype defining women into this sexist housewife persona. Through the use of clothing and appearance, text and audience the ad conveys

In the first part of the advertisement the man makes a comment saying, “So the harder a wife works, the cuter she looks!” Implying that if the consumer eats Kellogg’s PEP cereal she too will gain “cuter looks”, strongly emphasized by underlining the slogan. With the product they won’t just gain an extra boost of energy to continue daily chores, but will also gain the eyes of their husband. The wife looking perky and agreeable, the admiration from her husband appeals to the audience which is directed towards both men and women. Men are targeted through the fantasy of having a more attractive wife. The main tagline suggests that men can purchase the product and expect improvements in their wives looks. Women are targets as well, in hopes of gaining a “cuter” appearance that will appeal to the man in their life. The target audience negatively attracts men and women, again showcasing how these roles define both a man and a woman into whom society believes is acceptable. Women having to conform into a tight strict guideline that must tend to a man 's wants and needs; as if a women must bow down to a man in order to gain respect, love and

According to Kelloggs.com “..PEP was the first cereal fortified with vitamins B and D through the ‘spray’ method..” marking the beginning of the cereal industry’s food fortification processes. A revolutionizing stepping stone for a product that could of been marketed in a way that shined a bright light on its health benefits; instead decided to focus on women and how a stereotypical advertisement would direct an audience to drive sales. The 1930s was a time where sexism was common. Regardless of the traditional gender roles of that time the advertisement suggests that the homemaker’s job is equivalent to the man’s job outside of the household when in reality, a woman’s job is emotionally and physically straining. Men in that time mostly had jobs in an office which are nowhere near similar to a wife’s job. Why is it that women are always perceived as weak minded individuals incapable of jobs outside of the home? With advertisements constantly portraying women as mere housewives our culture will continue to confine them into this exhausting role. Despite our true caring nature as women, we too deserve the right to be conveyed in culture as dominant beings who are capable of more than just sweeping and mopping, but who are intelligent beings with the ability to work just as hard as a