Flashback

1950s Bigelow Carpet Commercial: A Girl Is Only As Good As Her… Rugs [VIDEO]

It’s tough to say what’s worse about this 1950s Bigelow Carpets commercial. Is it the patronizing way the parents in the ad talk about their daughter’s dating life? Or is it the way they imply their deluxe-quality carpeting will help their kid land a suitable guy?

Okay, let’s back up. This oh-so-vintage commercial (see below) for Bigelow Carpets doesn’t suggest anything about 1950s U.S. culture that we didn’t already know. And yet, something about the delivery of the lines in it is beyond creepy. In the ad, your typical mom-and-dad set spy on their teen-ish daughter while she hangs out with her male companion. The mother in the commercial sighs, “I want a really nice boy for her, from a nice family.” Nice.

Then the mom opines:

“That’s one reason I’m so glad we fixed up the house. Glad we decided on this wonderful Bigelow Carpet. Now she brings her friends home with her. She’s so proud of the way her home looks. That’s awfully important for girls of Ann’s age.”

Yiiiikes. The inappropriateness knows no bounds. I’ll refrain from anymore jokes. I wouldn’t want to seem “unnice.”

[via Atariman1988]

TAGS: 1950s sexist ad | sexist vintage ads

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