| Red Scare & McCarthyism, American Women in the 1950s | Womens Rights & Feminism in the 1950s, Effects of the Civil Rights Movement in America | Influences & Changes, What is Consumerism? Advertisers began limiting TV commercials to 30 seconds to save money. By 1959, TV commercials could reach 90 percent of all U.S. households, the only medium with that capability. The introduction of the credit card system assisted consumers in achieving this new dream. The television was a source for family programming, dramas, sitcoms. In the West, it is a common phenomenon, but now even developing countries in the world are resorting to it. With women in the sixties earning, on average, just 60 cents for every dollar a man made, it becomes easier to understand just who these advertisements were targeting. Initially considered outrageous as it was "race music". 1940s War, Cold War and Consumerism | Ad Age Unclassified Topic 1940s War, Cold War and Consumerism Published on March 28, 2005. In 1948, GM signed a historic agreement with the United Auto Workers union. Television fitted well into the home, as a simpler, cheaper, and more convenient family leisure activity. Production and consumption accompanied with U.S. involvement in WWII helped bring the U.S. out of the Depression. Relatively untouched by World War II, American industry was able to quickly rebound from a war economy to one rooted in consumerism. Cross, Gary. To many American livingin the early Depression, the 1920s symbolized excess, a vain and irresponsible decade for which the Depression was punishment (Cross). Consumerism - The 1950's: An age of affluence Consumer Demand Spurs Economic Growth Rising incomes, easy credit, and aggressive marketing helped create a culture of consumption in the 1950s. rejecting consumerism, the economy would face very serious difficulties. After World War II, consumer spending no longer meant just satisfying an indulgent material desire. Open Document. the mass production of televisions. Satisfactory Essays. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. In the three-quarters of a century since this shift in consumerist attitudes occurred, we have only just begun to see the potential economic, environmental, and psychological impacts of constantly striving to ''keep up with the Joneses.''. Post-Civil War U.S. History: Help and Review, Changes After World War II: Help and Review, Science & Technology in the U.S. in the 1950s, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses. During the 1950s, it was easy to see what Churchill meant. Others could not consolidate their need to consume with the economic climate and were unwilling to abandon some luxuries. The Great Depression tossed many from a previously fruitful decade into a period of austerity. As economic historian Winifred Wandersee notes, To many families a radio, the latest movie a pack of cigarettes, or the daily newspaper were as necessary to the family well-being as food, clothing, and shelter (Cross). Conservatism. Today, the system has about 45,000 miles of highway. Two-toned cars finished in colors such as Sunset Coral and Seafoam Green sported tailfins, wrap-around windshields, and flashy, chrome trim. 1950s American culture was characterized by a boom in consumerism, which bolstered the economy and left cultural impacts as well. Consumer organizations distributed pamplets and magazines, such as Consumer Reports, Consumer, Women Shopper, and Consumers Guide to better educate consumers on the utility of goods and quality. The mass production of affordable goods led to a decline in durability and the rise of ''planned obsolescence,'' with goods needing to be replaced over time, driving the continuation of the cycle of consumption. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. After WWII ended the drive to consume more coupled with the growing availability of televisions, made for an advertisers paradise. Concepts of "the future" shaped the 1950s experience in many ways: In the late 1940s and early 1950s, when Walt Disney was making plans for a safe and clean family park, amusement parks had a . Advertising Strategies in the 1950's Companies used careful language to influence the potential consumer to make them view their product as a necessity. In the U.S., far-reaching advertising trends were established in the cultural and economic environment of the 1950s. With the advent of television in the 1950s, print media, radio and film were forced to rethink their approaches towards news and entertainment. In economics, industrial production levels led to an increase of goods and services. Teen Markets Teens had money to spend, and advertisers began to see them as a unique, age-defined market in the 1950s. Find the perfect 1950s american consumerism stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. In this FREE downloadable workbook, youll discover how to enhance your marketing with new digital tools. It was created to provide information on goods and services. In 1950, Coca-Cola launched its first television ad campaign using animation and celebrities to endorse their product. He has since founded his own financial advice firm, Newton Analytical. Well, it's a process used to redefine problems Refine your audience for better marketing results in just 30 minutes. An error occurred trying to load this video. Footnote 4 Rather than personal empowerment, consumerism undermines self-confidence and self-worth by teaching people to focus on a never-ending list of personal faults that, once recognized, must be corrected through informed consumption. 2018 by San Francisco Airport Commission. Business and political leaders claimed consumerism was more than shopping: it defined the benefits of capitalism. RMT17J1D - 1955 magazine advert advertising TWA travel guides to Europe. An error occurred trying to load this video. After the tumult of the 1930s and 1940swith their sustained economic depression (1929-41) and world war (1939-45)the 1950s did seem quiet. In fact, when Vice President Richard Nixon once told a Soviet delegation that there were tens of millions of cars in America. During World War II and the 1940s, fashion was a time of rationing. Some economists believe that consumer spending stimulates production and. The goal of this system was to connect major cities around the country by a network of super highways. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Consumerism on TV: Popular Media from the 1950s to the Present. As the chief symbol of consumer culture, advertising has also been a chief subject of analysis for critics looking for the hidden springs of American life. With the things that defined "the good life" within economic reach, working-class people could achieve the upward mobility they craved. Between 12th and 14th Streets By 1960, about 10,000 miles of interstate highway had been constructed. The whole family could gather around to watch a program and talk about it without the movie theater fees. Mass-marketed, inexpensive LP's or 45's. Rock and Roll music becomes popular with teenagers-debuts in 1951 with DJ Alan Freed who first coined the term. (Enter your ZIP code for information on American Experience events and screening in your area.). Discover how post-WWII economic developments led to the trend of consumerism in American society. The television was now a common household staple and the advertising opportunities seemed endless. Your email address will not be published. But as the end of the war approached, there was the very real question of what to do now. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Innovations in technology, expansion of white-collar jobs, more credit, and new groups of consumers fueled prosperity. The Great Society Programs & Lyndon B. Johnson | What was the Great Society? The Great Society Programs & Lyndon B. Johnson | What was the Great Society? Another significant criticism of consumer culture is the human cost of workforce exploitation, especially the practices of slavery, forced labor, and low-wage ''sweatshops'' in developing countries. The 1950s were considered both The Golden Era of 3D Cinematography and the Golden Age of Television. It created economic opportunities for new industries that. With many new additions, advertising was able to exponentially grow and did so through the use of the newspaper and television (technological . The Modern Consumer 1950s Products and Style. The consumer movement shows that far from a nascent neo-liberal agenda, on offer was a negotiation with the market recognizing both its dynamism and iniquities and crafting . Some charged extra for children. A sponsor could refuse to let a competing auto manufacturer's car appear in a scene or allow an actor to smoke cigars if the sponsor sold cigarettes. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. The 1950s were sometimes referred to as the advertisers dream decade. With the end of the war came a new desire for Americans to spend money. During World War II, the whole country's industrial power had been focused on one thing and one thing only: destroying the Axis Powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The advertising industry pushed celebrity endorsements; Loretta Young inconspicuously promoted detergent, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz smoked their sponsor's cigarettes, and Frank Sinatra sang about shampoo. Prosperity seemed like a sure thing. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. If inflation pushes prices up, the index measures by how much prices went up. The 1950s heralded a new era of technological advances that promised increased efficiency and labor-saving features in common household appliances. if ( 'querySelector' in document && 'addEventListener' in window ) { Consumerism further developed in the 20th century. By the end of the 1950s, General Motors had the most sold units of cars at 13,419,048. Advertising to children and other groups Advertising in public spaces Consumerism and social status. Customers would then come back. Advertisers began a slow trek to TV by the early 1950s. The postwar economy had rebounded. How was Consumerism Encouraged in the 1950s? American consumerism exploded in the 1950s and continued into the 1960s with purchases of cars, houses, televisions, furniture, and modern appliances. See how consumerism flourished through advertising, higher. The TV was easily the most important domestic consumer product in the 1950s (Cross). At Frank's place you could get in and out in a flash. document.documentElement.className += 'js'; Some TV shows, likeThe GoldbergsandThe Honeymooners, catered to working- and middle-class viewers with storylines about ethnic families. Cars and TVs Television and automobile sales skyrocketed in the 1950s. The production and selling of goods judge the economy. But it ended with many Americans questioning the promises of consumer capitalism. var googletag = googletag || {}; Bill, which gave homecoming veterans the economic support they needed to achieve the goals of higher education and home ownership. 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