WW2 and the growth of the consumer society 1941-60

Question 1

What did manufactures offer consumers?

Answer 1

Variety of choice of goods

Question 2

What did Ford do differently?

Answer 2

Different styles and colours of cars

Question 3

How did manufacturers exploit customers?

Answer 3

Made less sturdy machines that wore out quickly and needed replacing more often

Question 4

What did manufacturers realise?

Answer 4

People brought the new and ‘improved’ products more

Question 5

What was an integral part for manufacturers?

Answer 5

Advertisements due to their new ally of TV

Question 6

What did TV bring out?

Answer 6

More entertainment
Families went out less

Question 7

Why was it good that families stayed in more?

Answer 7

• Saved finding a babysitter
• No journey to movie theatres, bars, restaurants

Question 8

What was developed as more families watched TV and ate dinner?

Answer 8

‘TV dinners’

Question 9

How many homes had a TV by 1960?

Answer 9

85%

Question 10

What industry targeted kids?

Answer 10

Toy industry

Question 11

What did kids use?

Answer 11

‘Pester power’

Question 12

What were women targeted with?

Answer 12

Labour saving devices

Question 13

Advantage of LBSaving devices?

Answer 13

Made housework quicker and easier

Question 14

What were women also a target of?
(food)

Answer 14

Everyday domestic shopping

Question 15

How were women obsessed with shopping?

Answer 15

• Favourited a particular grocery chain store
• Chose brand of milk, juice, coffee

Question 16

What kind of food was a time-saver?

Answer 16

Pre-prepared meals like Ready-mix cakes

Question 17

What was a popular pre-prepared meal?

Answer 17

Betty Crocker

Question 18

What was the Betty Crocker?

Answer 18

Cake mix provider

Question 19

What was the significance of the Betty Crocker?

Answer 19

Sold the American Dream of a woman baking a quick easy cake

Question 20

What food businesses thrived?

Answer 20

Sweets and flavoured drinks

Question 21

How much had Coca Cola made in 1959?

Answer 21

$79.1 million

Question 22

What health implications happened after the war?

Answer 22

• Smoking habits
• Unhealthy food

Question 23

Why had people smoked more?

Answer 23

It was a habit they developed during the war

Question 24

Why were women more likely to feed their babies formula milk?

Answer 24

Added vitamins
Easier for women to care for babies (both w/c and non w/c)

Question 25

What did the 1959 survey conclude on teenagers?

Answer 25

Teenagers spent $10 billion a year

Question 26

What did teenagers spend $10 billion a year on?

Answer 26

Transport Clothing and sports Food and drink Entertainment

Question 27

Why did teenagers spend money on cars?

Answer 27

Second hand cars on the teenage market

Question 28

Why were there more second hand cars on the teenage market?

Answer 28

Family cars traded in for newer models every few years

Question 29

Why did teenagers spend money on clothing and sports?

Answer 29

Clothing - girls consumed more clothing + cosmetics Sports - Spent on sporting equipment + trips to sport events

Question 30

How much did teenage girls spend on lipsticks alone?

Answer 30

$20 million

Question 31

How much more did teenagers eat than adults?

Answer 31

20% more

Question 32

When did teenagers eat the most?

Answer 32

When eating out and hanging out

Question 33

What did teenagers spend on food?

Answer 33

Ice cream, a lot of milk = huge boost to the dairy industry

Question 34

What audience did the drive-ins target?

Answer 34

Teenagers as they produced cheap, fast food

Question 35

How much did teenagers spend on records?

Answer 35

$75 million

Question 36

From the 1950s, how did movie makers begin to target teenagers?

Answer 36

Via high school films, range of cheap horror and sci-fi movies

Question 37

What is an example of a cheap sci-fi movie?

Answer 37

The Blob (1965)