How Beauty Advertising Has Changed Over Time
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Advertising has always played an important and powerful role in shaping how people think about beauty. The main goal of beauty advertising is to persuade consumers to buy products that reflect the values and beliefs of the time period in which it was created. Over the decades, advertising has changed significantly due to changes within culture, technology, and society as a whole. One of the clearest ways to see this change is through beauty advertising. By analyzing a historical Palmolive soap advertisement from the 1940s and comparing it to a modern skincare ad, we can better understand how ideas about beauty, gender roles, and persuasion have evolved.
The first thing that stands out in this Palmolive ad is the bold headline: “Doctors Prove Palmolive Soap Can Bring You A Lovelier Complexion in 14 Days!” This immediately grabs attention by using an appeal to authority, suggesting that medical professionals support the product. This ad reflects the values of the 1940s–1950s, a time when women were often expected to prioritize beauty and relationships. The idea that “36 leading skin specialists” tested the soap makes it seem scientific and trustworthy, even though today we might question how accurate those claims really are.
Visually, the ad focuses on a beautiful woman with gorgeous skin, wearing a red scarf. Next to the woman is a well-dressed man, admiringly looking at her. This creates a strong beauty and romance appeal. The message screams if you use this soap, you will become more attractive. Then the attractiveness will lead to attention and love. This reflects traditional gender roles, where women are expected to focus on their appearance to gain social and romantic success.
The ad also uses very specific promises, such as achieving better skin in “14 days,” which adds a sense of urgency and certainty. It lists benefits such as “fresher, brighter complexions” and “fewer blemishes,” reinforcing the idea that beauty is something that can be easily achieved with the right product.
Dove Real Beauty Campaign
A modern skincare ad like the Dove Real Beauty campaign presents a completely different message. The first thing that stands out is the diversity of the women shown. Instead of a single ideal image of beauty, the ad features women of different sizes, skin tones, and ages. This immediately challenges the idea that beauty has only one standard.
The main technique used in modern ads is emotional appeal through authenticity. Instead of promising perfection, these ads focus on self-confidence and self-acceptance. The tone is empowering, encouraging women to feel comfortable in their own skin rather than trying to meet unrealistic expectations.
Modern ads build trust by being relatable and honest. The target audience is still largely women, but it speaks to anyone who has felt pressure from unrealistic beauty standards.
This reflects a shift in society toward valuing diversity, inclusion, and mental well-being. People today are more aware of how media can affect self-esteem, and brands are responding by promoting more positive and realistic messages.
What Changed Over Time?
The differences between the Palmolive ad and modern beauty ads demonstrate how much both advertising and society have changed over time. In the past, ads focused on creating a very specific standard of beauty and convincing consumers they needed to achieve it. Today, ads are more focused on individuality and self-expression. Instead of telling people they need to change, modern ads often encourage them to accept themselves as they are. This is a major shift in how beauty is defined. However, one thing has remained the same, advertising is still designed to influence how people think and act.
In conclusion, it becomes clear that the Palmolive soap ad and modern-day beauty ads represent different attitudes towards the perception of social norms and advertising itself. While traditional ads revolved around perfection and authority, as well as relied on conventional gender roles, modern-day ads place a greater value on diversity and confidence. Such changes can be perceived as a reflection of the evolution in the culture in general and people's consciousness in particular.
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