This ad for shoes was featured in Playboy magazine and reprinted in the No Comment section of Ms., December 1974. Aside from the fact that the footwear looks curiously androgynous and fit for a Pilgrim, what can we make of the slogan, “Keep her where she belongs…”?
She belongs naked on the floor admiring your shoes?
I love examining vintage ads.
I love these “From the Stacks” reminders of what things were like in the early years of Ms. This ad also makes me realize that many basics have still remained the same. Sex and objectifying women still sells. I think the main difference between the message here and the material that shows up in the “No Comment” section now is that that this ad is more upfront about its sexism. I can imagine this ad running today. They’d just take away the caption and leave the image to speak for itself.
Many people can look back upon these ads in hindsight and realize how offensive they are– not just feminists like myself. I hope, twenty to thirty years down the line, that we will be able to look back on Axe advertisements with rolled eyes, and mainstream chagrin.