Advertising, that eternal surprise (first installment)

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A few days ago, a friend sent me, through a well-known social network, a compilation of ads from the 60s from Spanish brands: I couldn't believe it! Each one of them amazed me more, until this one, in particular, an ad from that era for the Cruzcampo brewery, arrived. What can we say about an ad that offers alcoholic beer to the youngest members of the house? And, who would think of questioning it? If it's mom who also has to go buy it! Let's see, let's see: on one hand, we alcoholize the children, on the other hand, we send mothers to do the shopping. And the problem of the time was not alcoholism, but hunger. With this panorama, who better than advertising to force us to make one decision or another? Yes, yes, advertising dictates (and dictated), once again, the patterns that society will follow.

This ad, published in 1961, in the ABC newspaper (blessed newspaper archives!), in the midst of the dictatorship, highlights the prevailing sexism of that era and the social roles imposed on each family member. The ad was made by an advertising studio (Ancoma) that put it in the hands of a cartoonist, whose name we do not know (although they also made the same ad in a photographic version). The composition of the scene reveals who would be calling the shots a few years later. Let me explain: the older brother, seated in the center of the composition, will occupy the patriarchal throne of the family (as the father's successor, of course), and around him, the siblings waiting, glass in hand, for him to supply them with beer. A perfect photo as a stimulus to promote the importance of having a large family at the time, as a symbol of prosperity and abundance. And for that, of course, mom, like a submissive servant, will help him to be so and will buy, under the imperative tone of the ad, the best of the era for her offspring. And even better: to the tune of the collateral effects of consuming a little beer, well, a liter bottle rather. With a slogan that would currently make the WHO's sparks fly, Cruzcampo pocketed the most stale family dynamic of the time. But they were not the only ones who used this type of advertising to reach the family consumerism of society.

Other brands, such as San Miguel, used children to promote their beer. And these products were promoted to children as healthy foods (just as Seven Up was advertised for babies in the US, (sugar addiction from the beginning of our lives!). Countless sexist, misogynistic, racist ads... were exhibited and exhibited without any shame, reproducing the social model imposed in the Western world and accepted without any criticism by its subjects, oops, sorry!, I meant society.

Currently, advertising uses social relationships beyond the family as a hook. Friendship relationships, couple relationships... The family formula is no longer used as in this beer ad, except perhaps for ads for toys or health and life insurance, and family-sized cars.

And, since I am fascinated by advertising, what and how could this ad be today? Here is my proposal, adjusting to one of the aesthetic trends of our days: flat colors, precise lines, a slogan that says something like, "Cruzcampo is all of us, my friend and presto... cheers!". But no, it wouldn't work. I'd better update it a bit more and it would become: 'Smartphones, also for the little ones at home'. And maybe in 50 years someone would write something like this about my proposal... Who better than advertising to show us the way?... Who would think of recommending the use of mobile phones to children? Sparks would fly at the WHO!