Mad Men's America

MAD MEN'S AMERICA

1.  Why are the 60's considered to be "The Golden Age of Advertising"?

The 60s were a time of prosperity for the United States. Since most people had jobs and salaries had increased, they were able to spend money like never before. For the first time, Americans could buy for pleasure. Therefore, advertising became extremely important to sell those products.

2.  Who coined the term "Mad Men"?

 

The term ``Mad Men´´ was coined in the late 50s by the advertising executives at Madison Avenue, Manhattan.

3.  What was Madison Avenue?
               a) A famous building 
               b) The core of the publicity industry in the 60's
               c) A main shopping mall in Manhattan

4.  How was tobacco publicized by the media? How do you think this publicity campaigns affected people?

Tobacco was glamourized by publicity, cinema and television. It was considered to be part of the American culture. When health campaigns appeared, claiming that tobacco was dangerous, publicists created campaigns in order to sell the product as being much less harmful of what it really was, so people would keep buying tobacco.

5.  To whom where most advertising campaigns oriented to?

They were oriented mainly to the white middle and upper classes

6.  Which were still the traditional roles for most men and women in the America of the 60's? How did this gradually change in time?

Men were the ones who should work outside the home in order to earn the money, while women were supposed to be housewives and mothers. The Feminist Movement was an important step to change this situation. Slowly, more women started to have jobs and earn money, just as men did.

7.  How was the term "Career woman" used?

The pejorative term ``Career Woman´´ was used to mock working women

A Digital Story by:

Mª Carmen Herrero

Monika Iulia Lorincz

Rosa Mª Martorell

Sandra Peiró