In a Mad Men inspired move, Newsweek is running a series of ads that reflect the evolving notion of masculinity in sales:
Consider the parallel changes America’s economic and political landscape has endured since these early ads. It’s worth noting that every American president thus far has been male, and that men comprise 83% of both the Senate and the House.
Masculinity is no small part of American leadership.
Starting with the first image, where a woman urges her husband to hide the dishtowel he’s holding:
Marketing snapshots take us through the image of men as the sole provider for their families (“with stakes THIS high..”), and then to what looks like (but isn’t) an emasculated George W. Bush about to sip (gasp) his chuggable beer:
Check out all the ads for a little manly nostalgia. Are men today more motivated by that traditional provider role? Are they more likely to respond to a wayward-eyed temptress daring them to stay edgy (“Darling, the most exciting men I know smoke Masterpiece tobacco!”)?
Finally here’s some vintage NRA propaganda to send you along to your castle:
