Elaine May and Mike Nichols for General Electric
In 1958, General Electric launched a advertising campaign that was designed by advertising titan Young & Rubicam for its new "revolving shelves" refrigerator and other home appliances. This is the campaign's most famous ad, a TV spot featuring Hollywood stars Elaine May and Mike Nichols in a parody of a soap opera that humorously details the ins and outs of the GE fridge intermingled with a passionate lover's goodbye. The ad's significance lies in its lighthearted humor, as it pokes fun at the details of the refrigerator's vast abilities, acknowledging that its frivolous advancements may seem silly while all the while encouraging consumers to indulge in a new-and-improved suburban luxury. The ad hints at broader cultural themes of the 1950s and 1960s, specifically the suburban American dream and all of its accoutrements in the form of home appliances. The core of the period's consumer culture lies in ads like these and the products they sell.
Contributor: Jillian Katterhagen |
