I found two striking images in Life Magazine from 1966 and 1979 that address both shifting consumerist attitudes and representations of relationships and love in American society. The first image is a chocolate advertisement directed at the hardworking husband who should express his appreciation for his wife's hard work in the household, but must do so within a limited budget. This image can have several interpretations within the context of the 1960s domestic sphere. A sense of economic caution implies that times are hard, but that one's Valentine's Day need not be any less special: it's the thought that counts and not the price. Other magazine ads around this time were also in tune with the budget-conscious consumer, listing prices of goods as one incentive to purchase an item. These ads appeal to a wide variety of readers with very different budgets. This connects with issues of economic concern for the American public. Johnson's 1964 "War on Poverty" speech addressed the easing the 19% poverty rate and establishing social welfare programs. These issues of national concern affected personal lives, as well. For example, the idea of "purchasing love" on a budget can symbolize the physical representations of emotions in American life, or how relationships were shaped within a consumer culture. Obviously this Valentine's gift is an expression of the importance that a woman plays in a man's life, but under the expectation that the wife should love her husband regardless of his financial capabilities ("A free kiss..."). Love, therefore, is priceless or even free; it has no physical replacement, but can be realized through reminders on special holidays or consumer purchases.
The second image displays a million-dollar diamond as the perfect gift for a loved one. Although meant to be a joke, it represents a shift in outlooks on consumer culture in America. Magazine spreads no longer have the same consumer strategy of appealing to the wallets of Americans. These magazines, which can be bought by most Americans, display a culture of luxury-- a life that is to be desired. This extends from high-end fashion advertisements, to windows into the lives of the rich and famous, to culture (art, books, etc.). Consumerism transitions from a feasible and practical part of American culture to spending for pleasure, or an outward display of one's social standing. This can be attributed to the movement out of economic hardship as well as the movement of women out of the home and into the workplace. Reagan's celebration of consumer culture in the 1980s helped shape media representations of the new American lifestyle. In addition, Second-Wave feminism, extending well into the 1970s and 1980s, considered a new place for the woman in American society. Her new independence and re-established importance in new fields is represented in her deserving a wonderful gift. Although readers are not necessarily expected to buy this gift for a loved one, the simple suggestion implies that a woman is worth more than a cheap box of chocolates. The idea of love's material worth is central to the continuation of this consumer culture. It ensures the connection between emotional belief and its realization in a physical form. So, did this change what love or relationships entailed in the 1980s? It's difficult to say, but powerful and believable representations of a materialist lifestyle in magazines and popular culture suggest that materialism is a force that can dictate all areas of life-- especially in how we relate to others.
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