https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/home/jcohencole/web/Cold-War-Media/Fiat%20-%20TIME%20Magazine%2C%20January%2028%201974%2C%20pp.7.jpg?uniq=phairh
In the 1960s cars had undergone drastic changes from those of the 1950s. Between the 50s and 60s there was a proliferation of car companies, foreign and domestic, and a proliferation in the types of cars. There was an emergence of many different car companies: Chrysler/Plymouth, Dodge, Jaguar, Volkswagen, Fiat, Saab, Mercedes, Renault, MG, Chevrolet, GMC (which included, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and Pontiac), Jeep, and Lincoln. By the Sixties, cars had evolved and diversified into many different styles aside from the generic sedan such as, the Jeep, station wagons, mid-size sedans, large sedans, the VW bus, the Beetle, and sports cars. Car advertisements during the 1960s also became new and unique.
In this first image of the ’66 Dodge Monaco, like many other ads of during this time, blatantly targets more youthful men. The phrase, “Join the Dodge Rebellion,” and, “Don’t follow the leader…drive it,” can only be expected to catch the eye of the plentiful, rebellious youth of the 1960s. The 2 images of the pretty, young woman can serve 2 different purposes. When pictured in the passenger seat, her image serves to entice men; implying pretty women enjoy cars with V8 engines and bucket seats. Her other appearance at the bottom of the ad with a bomb behind her back supplements the rebellious image of the car. The smaller writing just below the picture of the car is also aimed at young men. “So, you men with unbridled imagination and a craving for action – move away from the crowd…Step into a Monaco and start a little following of your own.” The use of the words “imagination” and “action” are more than likely meant to imply “youthful.”
The second image of the Fiat advertisement from 1974 is similar to ads from many other companies during the period. Admittedly, the Fiat ad is on the more extreme side of the spectrum in that it provides very little imagery (the chart is a great deal larger than image of the car), but it serves the purpose of highlighting the fuel crisis. Like the diversification of cars between the 50s and 60s, with the 70s came the small, economy car. Similar ads of the time period began to replace words like “imagination,” “rebellion,” and “action” with words like, “small” and “economical.” Though, this Fiat ad is not aimed at men or women, similar ads for similar cars do seem aimed at men (though not as youthful). This change can be clearly traced to the OPEC oil embargo of ’73 and ’74, but the economy car stuck around after the embargo was lifted. This Fiat ad from 1974 explicitly states the gas crisis, and even challenges the morals of the consumer. “If you’re concerned about the gas crisis, you really owe it to yourself to check out the mileage results above.” Although luxury cars and a few sports cars did not place such a heavy emphasis on the gas crisis, the economical Fiat 128 Sedan, like the rebellious Monaco of the 60s, was the more prevalent ad of the 1970s.
Between the 60s and 70s many car ads transformed from catering to a more youthful audience to a more cognizant audience. Although the Monaco and the Fiat 128 Sedan are different types of cars, they, and comparative models, were the most common car ads, at least in TIME magazine. Popular car ads during the 60s were aimed more at the desires of the individual, the rebellious car or the comfortable luxury sedan for example. Between the 60s and 70s, especially during the OPEC embargo, more common car ads aimed more for the knowledgeable and resourceful consumer.
1 comment:
Excellent tie in with Fiat and Dodge. Lee Ekstrom
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