In honor of International Women’s Day, Budweiser decided to give 3 of their most popular ads from the ‘50s and ‘60s a major overhaul to remove the outdated sexist message from those eras. By modernizing them, the company hopes to correct their mistakes from the past and showcase female empowerment and equal rights. We can only hope other companies follow their example because this was just sensational!
61% Positive Portrayal
According to Budweiser, only 61% of women are being positively portrayed in campaign ads, and they wanted to do something to change that. But in order to do that, they had to go back in time and fix the errors of their ways.
Implementing The Idea
Budweiser got together with VaynerMedia agency to brainstorm an idea that would empower women and sell beers at the same time. To that end, the #SeeHer initiative was created. The campaign was run by three illustrators: Heather Landis, Nicole Evans, and Dena Cooper and they did an incredible job. Together, they managed to give their very-outdated ads a much-needed 2019 makeover.
One Theme
The illustrators’ goal was clear. They wanted the theme to represent independence, equality, and fulfillment. So, they targeted ads from 1956, 1958, and 1962 and gave them a brand new look that represented men and women equally and got rid of any gender bias. Let’s be honest! Almost every vintage ad used to cast women in a horrible light.
A Woman Friendly Alternative
It might be tough to imagine this today, but women in the ‘50s and ‘60s had to conform to very specific gender roles. But we’ve come a long way in the battle for gender equality. The old ads hinted that beer was for just for men. But the updated versions show that beer is definitely for everyone!
1956 – Bud Pleased Her Man
The outdated ads objectified women in a subservient capacity, like when they claimed that it was a fact that Budweiser delighted more husbands. It hinted that it was a woman’s job to make their men happy by serving them Bud with their dinners.
2019 – Girl’s Night, Anyone?
In the updated ad, Budweiser made a major course-correction to show a woman who’s fulfilled by those who embrace who she really is. It even has three of her gal pals in the distance living it up with different classes of beer.
1958 –More Beer, Dear?
Back in the day, ads showed a wife looking after her hardworking, masculine husband. Basically, the woman was seen as an instrument to serve his needs. But there was nothing on the ad that suggested that she might want to take a sip, too because a Budweiser was considered a manly man’s drink.
2019 – Let’s Drink Together
The more modern and less biased ad shows the man and woman leading a relationship that’s pretty well-balanced. It still contains the same vintage aesthetic, but it portrays the woman as an equal because she can down a can of Budweiser alongside her life partner if she feels like it.
1962 – Crack Open A Cold One
The ‘60s weren’t much of an improvement. Ad agencies kept coming up with ads like this one that featured a wife being content and pleased that her husband approved of her cooking. He liked it so much that it merited drinking a Budweiser to eat the meal she had spent hours in the kitchen making.
2019 – Have It With Some Takeout
In 2019, Budweiser took out the sexist elements in their vintage ad and replaced it with a woman coming home with her favorite takeout food and a glass of Budweiser. Now she can truly celebrate TGIF and welcome the weekend with a smile. The updated ads are far more relatable to today’s modern woman because it shows that women can either stand on their own or be an equal member in a partnership.
I am Camila – Serial tea drinker. Professional wig snatcher. Content creator and video script writer who may or may not be John Leguizamo’s body double. If you don’t like where you are, move. You’re not a tree.
