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This is a refrigerator advertisement by General Electric in 1932 geared towards women. This ad illustrates a young, beautiful girl in an in-style wedding dress while standing in front of her equal cutting-edge refrigerator. GE went as far as to put their product behind the women to entice more women to notice the dress and thus the refrigerator, and for men to notice the woman thus the refrigerator. The marketing behind this illuminates the human mind at this point in time. -
Refrigerators in the 1930s were becoming more common in households and yet do not even remain the focal point of their advertisements. However, the ad’s description states that the owner should “take pride in its long life of useful service” (5). The advertisement’s description furthers this by continuously referring to the product as durable, dependable, and even go as far to say that it is a “permanent investment” (6).
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Even with all the hype around the strength of the appliance, the advertisement gives no discussion as to its working components outside of it being made out of steel but even then, it is followed by “built for life-long wear” (7). This advertisement illustrates how the refrigerator was not viewed as an object to keep food fresh but a power statement to the wealthy, long-lasting for the poor, and simultaneously presented by and for women.
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This image illustrates historical context perfectly as it is extremely specific in its measurements. This was written in the middle of World War II, that being said food rationing was crucial to war efforts. Thus, this meticulously measured storage room includes the measurements of what kind of containers can fit and how many of them can fit. For example, pint glass bottles fit 100 bottles in 9 feet when stored 3 to the shelf (8). The detail in this archive exhibits how every bite mattered. -
This image is a continuation of the dimensions of items listed previously. This blueprint expresses how every inch of space is vital to every piece of food as there was little to go around, making refrigeration an important commodity. It explains the specifics of what food can fit in a certain section of the room. It has Area A and B labeled and even has descriptions for where food should be placed pending the doors attached (9). This level of detail shows the importance of food storage. -
This is an advertisement from July 25, 1951, created by Harvey Dunn. This art illustrates a native woman swallowing a sword surrounded by the words, "Seems impossible.. but actually true" (10). This line emphasizes how the company is sure that this, gas refrigeration with no moving parts or machinery, is a new service as it sounds outlandish to the public. -
This occurs again in the first paragraph of the description stating, “Sometimes your eyes see a thing, but your mind refuses to take it in. It’s so unusual. Electrolux is like that” (11). The confidence used illustrates how the industry has changed in reaction to the product. The gas refrigerator begins to make an impact on food preservation, as “a tiny gas flame takes the place of all moving parts” (12).