Debate!

Today I went to an exhibition of advertising to women, which featured ads from across the last 100 years. It was a fascinating collection of ads and a 100-year snapshot of society and the perception of female roles within it.

The blip here shows how attendees voted, when asked whether the 1998 Wonderbra ad (see extra) empowers women. Controversially perhaps, I voted yes.

Back in 1998 this was a very powerful advert and did strike a chord with many women, as the creative was about women feeling great about themselves and not being afraid to 'flaunt it'. Seen now, through almost 20 years of progressive thinking, the ad is n longer empowering.

But just because we know better now, we can't deny that we once thought differently about these things.

Maybe the question asked should have been "did this empower women", not "does it".