You can’t afford not to dress right
In 1957 the American Institute of Men's and Boys' Wear began running print ads that sought to increase sales of men's clothing by using outright shame and scare tactics. Their message to men was that if you don't dress better you'll be a loser and an embarrassment to your family and friends.
Playing on social fears had long been a staple in advertising aimed at women, but hadn't really been seen in ads for men — at least, not done so blatantly. So the ads generated quite a bit of controversy. For instance, they prompted the following editorial in the Brownwood Bulletin (Dec 30, 1957):
Playing on social fears had long been a staple in advertising aimed at women, but hadn't really been seen in ads for men — at least, not done so blatantly. So the ads generated quite a bit of controversy. For instance, they prompted the following editorial in the Brownwood Bulletin (Dec 30, 1957):
I understand that the manufacturers of men's and boys' clothing are fretting right smart these days because Paw and Sonny are not buying enough wearing garments. they note that in the past 10 years spending for autos has increased 133 per cent and for male clothing only four per cent.
So they have got themselves organized and are blowing in all kinds of cash trying to educate the menfolks on the value of being properly garbed.
They are running ads, for instance, showing Teenage Daughter appealing tearfully to Mom: "Couldn't Daddy stay upstairs when Jimmy comes for me?" Or Young Husband telling his smock-clad wife, "I didn't get the promotion, Tom did." Or Big Boss saying earnestly, "John we are putting a new man in your territory."
Frankly, I think this is Grade A garbage, and I predict the pants peddlers are going to find the American male is tough to brainwash. Hit him with the slogan, "You can't afford not to dress right," and he'll come back with one of his own: "You can't suit everyone."
In the first place, a lot of men don't care how their clothes look. They are dogs and they are satisified if you toss them an old herringbone now and then. You won't change them any more than you will make a clotheshorse out of the boy who hasn't yet found out that girls can be more interesting than frogs and fishhooks.
In the second place, papa's pocketbook is taking a bigger beating than ever before from the piper, the baker, the hair dresser, the TV repairman, the grocer, etc. He's having to make that 1954 suit do from necessity. And if there should be anything left over, he'd a sight rather blow it on a new spinning reel than an Ivy League jacket.
My advice to the hungry haberdashery huckster is to get out of men's wear into something feminine. Our lady folk, bless them, will buy a bundle of glad rags quicker than you can say "20 per cent off." And Daddy-O will growl but he'll love 'em for it.
So they have got themselves organized and are blowing in all kinds of cash trying to educate the menfolks on the value of being properly garbed.
They are running ads, for instance, showing Teenage Daughter appealing tearfully to Mom: "Couldn't Daddy stay upstairs when Jimmy comes for me?" Or Young Husband telling his smock-clad wife, "I didn't get the promotion, Tom did." Or Big Boss saying earnestly, "John we are putting a new man in your territory."
Frankly, I think this is Grade A garbage, and I predict the pants peddlers are going to find the American male is tough to brainwash. Hit him with the slogan, "You can't afford not to dress right," and he'll come back with one of his own: "You can't suit everyone."
In the first place, a lot of men don't care how their clothes look. They are dogs and they are satisified if you toss them an old herringbone now and then. You won't change them any more than you will make a clotheshorse out of the boy who hasn't yet found out that girls can be more interesting than frogs and fishhooks.
In the second place, papa's pocketbook is taking a bigger beating than ever before from the piper, the baker, the hair dresser, the TV repairman, the grocer, etc. He's having to make that 1954 suit do from necessity. And if there should be anything left over, he'd a sight rather blow it on a new spinning reel than an Ivy League jacket.
My advice to the hungry haberdashery huckster is to get out of men's wear into something feminine. Our lady folk, bless them, will buy a bundle of glad rags quicker than you can say "20 per cent off." And Daddy-O will growl but he'll love 'em for it.
Comments
Hey, Alex, are you sure you didn't find these adverts in Mad Magazine? They are just ripe for parody.
Posted by KDP on 09/20/16 at 08:04 AM
The ads may be a touch on the overwrought side, but the message is still true: If you dress like a professional you'll feel like a professional and consequently you'll act like a professional. Dress like a pot-smoking loser and that's what you'll be.
Posted by A Nonny Mouse on 09/20/16 at 08:20 AM
What those ads need is a positive spin. No publicist wants the clients to associate their product with scolding. Also, we don't see the product enough. Instead of "Couldn't Daddy stay upstairs when Jim comes?" we could have "Daddy, could you come over? I want to show Jim what a well-dressed gentleman looks like." and the image would show Daddy in a nice suit and his daughter at his office door. Or instead of "I had the feeling everyone was staring at Fred", we could have Fred, smiling, tell his wife "I have the feeling everyone was looking at me - And I kind of like it". Or with the work people, instead of "You tell him, Bob - He's your pal", you get "He's your pal, Bob - You ask him where he got his clothes", with a smartly dressed Bob in the background. I could go like that all day.
Posted by Yudith on 09/22/16 at 06:01 AM
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Category: Advertising | 1950s