New Book Release: Racist, Sexist, and Politically Incorrect Advertising: The Early Years - by Mike Rothmiller

Racist, Sexist, and Politically Incorrect Advertising: The Early Years

by Mike Rothmiller

Find it on Amazon HERE

Advertising has been part of the human experience since the first people walked the earth. It comes in many forms; visual, written, spoken, illustrated, and via the five human senses. All advertising is designed to elicit a particular response in the viewer, listener, or reader. In politics, it's to garner votes. If it's a nation alleging misconduct by another nation or denying their wrongdoing, it's generally known as propaganda.

One of the best-known purveyors of government propaganda was Joseph Goebbels in Nazi Germany. Goebbels controlled the message and the media, thereby assuring the German people and the world only heard what the Nazis wished. Today, some U.S. media outlets follow Goebbels's basic premise of news presentation. They report half-truths or spin complete lies. As Goebbels’s preached, “make the lie big, tell it often, and soon people will believe it.” It's the most despicable form of advertising, but it works. In nearly all cases of the U.S., media broadcasting known lies and never correcting them involves politics. The news should be free of politics and personal beliefs. They should ONLY report the story accurately without the newscaster or media outlet incorporating their personal political or personal agenda into the story. Their conduct is considered news media propaganda.

Regarding the ads I present in this book, please remember the time frame of the advertising to fully understand their value and why they were appealing at that time in history. Effective advertising must stimulate one of the human five senses. When two or more senses are stimulated, they reinforce each other within the brain and help provide the reaction sought by the advertisement. As an example, the use of free food tastings at a store hits all five senses: visual, taste, smell, touch, and hearing the person providing the sample verbally pitching the product. It works; that is why it is done.

The politically incorrect, racist, and sexist ads are offensive. To illustrate the history of advertising in the educational realm, all ads must be considered for discussion. At the time, these ads were deemed to be non-offensive to the masses. But others would undoubtedly thought otherwise. These ads also demonstrate societal changes through the years. People then did not see these ads as offensive. Today, viewed through a contemporary window, they are. What we see today as non-offensive and acceptable advertising will undoubtedly be viewed differently by future generations. The first political cartoons in England were considered works of art and sold in shops. In some countries, it was the primary method an artist or writer could editorialize on the state of political affairs without facing civil or criminal liability. The cartoon is a combination of satire and exaggeration. Politicians, societal problems, violence, and corruption of all types were the targets

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Some of the captions are not politically correct by current standards and could not be used today. I have not changed the captions since that would severely reduce their educational value. Sadly, there are countries where a cartoonist will suffer severe consequences or even death for satirizing a powerful politician, dictator, or religious icon.

In closing, delivery systems for advertising will change with advances in technology. Today, there are multiple methods to direct ads to a targeted audience.

Remember that the basic rules of advertising remain constant. The book contains hundreds of images with little or no commentary required. Some are shocking.

Mike Rothmiller is a New York Times Bestselling Author, nominee for the Pulitzer Prize, historian, former cop and Army medic. He's also served as a TV reporter, an award winning documentary producer and television host for ESPN, PBS and other international television markets. He's written and produced over 25 television documentaries, numerous TV and radio ads and has authored movie scripts. His nonfiction book, My Hero. Military Kids Write About Their Moms and Dads (St. Martin's Press) received international acclaim and holds the honor of being the only book in history to have forwards written by three living Presidents and General Norman Schwarzkopf. He's authored 23 books and his Secrets, Lies and Deception and Other Amazing Pieces of History was featured on Fox News and over 40 Television News Stations across America. Readers of his books include three Presidents, former First Lady Laura Bush, the late Charlton Heston and Queen Elizabeth II.