OMO Advert CSP Case Study

This advert was produced during the 1950s, a time where women were seen as unintelligent and weak but also as only being good as a housewife which in some cases has been suggested as they can't even do that well.

 In most adverts women during the 1950s women were represented as not being able to do anything on their own without the help of a man as they were seen as lacking in intelligence and common sense. Women were also represented as only being useful as a housewife and having to serve the man in the house who works all day while the woman stays at home and looks after their child/ren, washes up or makes food which was supposedly what women loved to do.

 The fact that the heading message, "OMO makes whites bright!" is in a comic-like box instantly attracts the attention of the audiences and make it more likely for them to purchase the product. This could also suggest that OMO is almost like a superhero who's power is to make clothes cleaner than with any other washing powder and so those who enjoy reading comics may have been easily drawn into it.

 The fact that the model in this advert is wearing make-up despite the fact that she appears to have just done the laundry shown by the props used suggests that women's role in society is to not only clean and do their jobs as housewives but to also look good doing it and in general. Additionally, her facial expression suggests that she is quite surprised with the quality of OMO and in turn also gives the idea that she has never been able to get her washing this white without help from OMO showing that women need help in order to do a good job.

 A picture of the product is included at the bottom right of the advert in order for the audience to know exactly what to look for when they are purchasing it from the supermarket and they know what they are actually spending their money on. This can help audiences to decide whether or not it is worth their time and money to go and buy the product. 

The connotations of the colour white in this advert suggest ideas of cleanliness and pureness which is exactly what the OMO product is meant to bring about.  Additionally, the harmonious colour scheme strongly emphasises brightness to audiences which is what they want their clothes to reflect. The repetition of the words 'bright' and 'white' convincingly portray that the only way that you can get your clothes to be bright and white is by using OMO itself.

  In this advert, women have been represented as being housewives and Mother's who have to clean and enjoy doing so along with all other housework which is suggested by the central image. Women are also being represented as not very intelligent which is signified by the fact that OMO continuously and repetitively states the words 'bright' and 'white' which sounds like quite a patronising and simplistic tone. This also gives the idea that women can only understand things if they are being talked to like a child. The preferred reading of this advert is that OMO is an amazing high quality product that can get your clothes cleaner than they've ever been before and that it is a popular washing up powder especially among women.

 The oppositional reading of this advert is that OMO is treating women like children as they believe that they lack intelligence and that women should always look good no matter what they're doing. This could suggest that the role of women is to simply look good which can come off as quite offensive.