“I am Kay and I Prefer Modern”: Bridal Testimonials and the Rise of Consumer Rites, 1920s–1950s (original) (raw)

Testimonial Advertising in the American Marketplace, 2009

Abstract

Between the 1920s and the 1950s, the bride emerged as a central advertising figure, paralleling the rise of the American wedding industry.1 Pictured in her long white gown and veil or as a newlywed, she appeared in promotions for products associated with women’s roles and feminine identity, as well as in advertisements for goods that had little connection to weddings or marriage. Brides also featured in testimonial advertisements during the 1920s and 1930s. A woman about to marry or newly married provided a credible voice for the advertiser.2 Indeed, bridal status itself brought a degree of authenticity to producers’ claims. With the bride’s combination of youth, innocence, and beauty, she offered the perfect psychological sell. As a future Mrs. Consumer, the bride was an ideal candidate for this type of advertising, able to share expertise in beauty products and household goods with readers who identified with her role as wife and future mother.

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