Wartime production had helped pull America's economy out of depression, and from the late 1940s on, young adults saw a remarkable rise in their spending power. The system of planned obsolescence also accelerated consumption by making goods more affordable while manufacturers made them less durable, ensuring that they would have to be replaced with regular use. Many stores existed between both boundaries, attempting to offer stylish merchandise at discounted prices (Huddleston). Each decade had its own unique style of advertising, but one period of time really stands in stark contrast to what were accustomed to today. During the same years, young couples were marrying and having children at unprecedented rates. The United States was the world's strongest military power. Some TV shows, likeThe GoldbergsandThe Honeymooners, catered to working- and middle-class viewers with storylines about ethnic families. As Daily Life in 1950s America puts it, "along with rising incomes, easy credit, and fear of being left behind with outmoded products, aggressive marketing in the form of slick advertising campaigns fed the culture of consumerism." While some items found in the average home are still the standard to this day, other fads were just plain bizarre . The Modern Consumer 1950s Products and Style. Get the latest on new films and digital content, learn about events in your area, and get your weekly fix of American history. Consumerism Introduction . http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/aboutus/history/printable/index.htm. Discount retailing emerged in 1912, but this niche did not begin to draw attention until 1950s in New England (Huddleston). Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. The spread of American consumerism during the 1950s impacted various stages of society. America had an electronic mall by the mid-'50s. 2. Advertising also contributed to radio's and TV's most successful eras. The end of World War. At war's end, the items people most desired included televisions, cars, washing machines, refrigerators, toasters, and vacuum cleaners: the machines that would help them modernizetheir lives. Available for both RF and RM licensing. TV became the driving force for advertising. An important factor in GMs success was an improved relationship with its workers. Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History (espaol). Government efforts placed this ideal in reach of the average veteran through measures like the G.I. Huddleston, Patricia and Stella Minahan. Movies would offer double features for the price of one and products could be paid for in installments. Facts about the American Consumerism 1920s for kids. Consumers felt closer to the American Dream than in the previous decades. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and the growth of suburbs both . Many of these mom and pop stations would offer free postcards, key chains, toys and sodas for the kids, S&H Green stamps and of course maps. By improving access to all parts of the country, the system gave people more choices as to where to live, work, shop, and vacation. These types of advertisements are often focused even more narrowly on a specific demographic or target audience to increase effectiveness and message penetration among that audience. In recent years, all of these considerations have led to a shift from conspicuous consumerism, buying mass-produced goods for the sake of one's image or social standing, to a developing emphasis on conscientious consumerism, with consumers carefully weighing the impact of their economic decisions. Select from premium 1950s Fridge of the highest quality. American consumerism exploded in the 1950s and continued into the 1960s with purchases of cars, houses, televisions, furniture, and modern appliances. (Enter your ZIP code for information on American Experience events and screening in your area.). American industry was able to produce massive quantities of consumer goods, but those goods only sat in warehouses until they were purchased. In many ways, Tupperware reinforced the ideal of the efficient home and kitchen. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. 4-minute read. This department store took window shopping to a new level with a machine called the "Tell-it-to." The effect today is the same as it was 70 years ago - people couldn't wait to go buy new things so they could be like the people on TV! Explore consumer culture and the history of American consumerism. "The good purchaser devoted to 'more, newer and better' was the good citizen," historian Lizabeth Cohen explained, "since economic recovery after a decade and a half of depression and war depended on a dynamic mass consumption economy. At Frank's place you could get in and out in a flash. The biggest and best-known manufacturing company was the automaker General Motors. She is certified in Middle Grades Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, and Math, and has 9 years of teaching experience in these fields. But income inequality persisted, and people questioned whether the government should intervene to balance the scales. Around town, teenagers took to cruising, a social fad that involved simply driving from one location to another. Sinatra, Elvis. New York: Business Expert Press. These advertisements used animated mascots and celebrity endorsements to highlight the appeal of an array of mass-produced goods, as well as television programs such as Leave it to Beaver that portrayed the idealized American family. There was little use for massive bombers and armored tanks now that the country was, at least for the time being, at peace. Consumerism of the 1950s wasn't about need, it was about appearance, especially with neighbors. As the majority of Americans came to depend on cars for transportation, they demanded more and better roads. The 1950s are most often remembered as a quiet decade, a decade of conformity, stability, and normalcy. World War II was over. Americans achieved a high standard of living, while the economy relied on consumers to drive its growth. Its amazing to see how much the visual aesthetic evolved as a result of the changing times. Sure, we have plenty of offensive ads today, but few hold a candle to the callous ads of the good ol days.. Within this time frame of 1930 to 1960, discount stores targeting shoppers who wanted good products for good prices were created. The American government intended this plan to be a method for preventing the resurgence of fascism and the spread of communism from the Soviet Union. Post-Civil War U.S. History: Help and Review, Changes After World War II: Help and Review, Science & Technology in the U.S. in the 1950s, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Reconstruction and the Gilded Age: Help and Review, Industrialization from 1870 to 1900: Help and Review, America During 1900 to 1917: Help and Review, Major Events During American Imperialism: Help and Review, Economy & Politics of the 1920s: Help and Review, American Culture During the Roaring 20s: Help and Review, The Great Depression in America: Help and Review, Events in America During World War II: Help and Review, Post-War Europe: the Berlin Airlift & the Marshall Plan, Post-War Asia: Korea's Partition & Reconstruction of Japan's Government, Post-War Soviet Union & Eastern Europe: The Descent of the Iron Curtain, Post-War American Politics: Foreign & Domestic Policy, Post-War American Life: Culture of the late 1940s & 1950s, Truman's Fair Deal & Economics After WWII, Dwight D. Eisenhower vs. Adlai Stevenson: The Election of 1952, Civil Disobedience From 1954-1973: Help and Review, U.S. Policies of The 1970s: Help and Review, Political Conservatism in the U.S.: Help and Review, Presidents Clinton, Bush & Obama: Help and Review, High School US History: Tutoring Solution, NY Regents Exam - US History and Government: Test Prep & Practice, High School US History: Homework Help Resource, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Tutoring Solution, ILTS Social Science - History (246): Test Practice and Study Guide, SAT Subject Test World History: Tutoring Solution, High School World History: Help and Review, CLEP Western Civilization I: Study Guide & Test Prep, The Civil Rights Movement During the 1950s, Stokely Carmichael: Quotes, Black Power Speech & Biography, What is an Almshouse? The interstate highway system benefited the country in many ways. With the things that defined "the good life" within economic reach, working-class people could achieve the upward mobility they craved. Consumerism on TV: Popular Media from the 1950s to the Present. Presenting case studies of well-known shows including Will and Grace, Birds of a Feather, Sex and the City and Absolutely Fabulous, as well as 'reality' television, this book examines the transformations that have occurred in consumer society since its appearance and the ways in . Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. Consumerism is the theory that individuals who consume goods and services in large quantities will be better off. A cost-of-living index measures differences in the price of goods and services over time. Let's take a look at the advertising tactics that brands used in the 1950 and 1960s versus today. Others could not consolidate their need to consume with the economic climate and were unwilling to abandon some luxuries. In addition, television provided a potent medium for advertisers to reach inside American homes, creating desires for other products. The great American dream! The sexism of 1950s advertising is infamous, and for good reason. Popular sitcoms [] As this change occurred, consumerism began shifting toward economist Thorstein Veblen's idea of conspicuous consumption, the concept that purchases are made not just out of utility or need but as symbols of social status. | Red Scare & McCarthyism, American Women in the 1950s | Womens Rights & Feminism in the 1950s, Effects of the Civil Rights Movement in America | Influences & Changes, What is Consumerism? JFK Foreign Policy & the Cold War | What were JFK's Cold War Policies? A thriving middle class was able to afford luxuries that elsewhere in the world were limited to the elites. Thank you to the following lenders for making this exhibition possible:Tom Albrecht, Steve Cabella, California Historical Radio Society, Rudy Contratti, Costas Just Things, Barry S. Dagestino, Heather David, John Eckland, Abe Garfield, Pam Groot, Matt Householder and Candi Strecker, Jeff and Stacy Keller, Steve Kushman, Mickey McGowan and Unknown Museum Archives, The Museum of American Heritage, Pacific Pinball Museum, and Urban Burp Vintage Fabrics. As the demand for consumer goods increased toward the end of World War II, advertising campaigns targeted the growing middle class family that resulted from the post-war housing boom. Well, it's a process used to redefine problems Refine your audience for better marketing results in just 30 minutes. To draw attention until 1950s in New England ( Huddleston ) were unwilling to some... Biggest and best-known manufacturing company was the world were limited to the consumerism and advertising in the 1950s were created about! 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