Summary

Food advertising offers an intriguing window into the cooking and eating habits of a society, is shaped by the culture in which it is produced, and plays a role in creating and reinforcing attitudes about food. Food advertisements reflect and refract larger societal changes in gender roles, racial attitudes, kitchen technology, and more. American food manufacturers in the late 19th century were pioneers in strategies to connect with the public, using advertising to create a new, direct relationship with buyers. This was most prevalent with regard to processed and packaged foods. Ads encouraged consumers to look for specific brand names and to purchase items which might have been made within the home previously. Food manufacturers used a variety of means to encourage and shape consumer practices. Messages emphasizing convenience or modernity were often key to persuading the public to try new products. The strategies developed by American food advertisers were influential around the globe; in some cases, US food products expanded to foreign markets, and in others, local manufacturers employed similar approaches to food advertising.

Advertisers in the early 20 century targeted White, middle-class women as the “ideal” consumer. Gender stereotypes about food have often been mobilized by advertisers, creating a vision of family life where a woman’s primary role was to select appropriate foods to serve to her family. In times of change or crisis, advertisers played on anxiety and a longing for stability to encourage people to buy. Company mascots helped to make brands appear friendly and familiar but have also reinforced racist stereotypes about people of color. Critics have blamed food advertisers for changes in eating, which have caused health problems, and for manipulating consumers, particularly children. Although food companies pay millions of dollars for advertising budgets, there is no guarantee that all food ads will be effective. Consumers retain some agency in resisting or reacting to advertisements.