What was it that made Americans so fearful of underarm odor in the 1950s? How could that have been a concern when there were bigger issues to worry about … or so we were conditioned to tremble about. Communists in government and infiltrating our precious institutions … churches, schools. The BOMB! And for those really driven to dithers about the Reds threatening our American way of life, there was that new chemical, fluoride! There was a major debate over whether we should add fluoride to our water so we kids could have stronger, cavity-free teeth or if it was really another communist plot to destroy the minds of American youth. Joe McCarthy and the John Birch Society sure made those days frightful.
Maybe all that sweating from fear, worrying about things such as not have a bomb shelter, caused Americans to think about odor. Or could that social phobia have been a concocted Madison Avenue gimmick? If you think about it, human odors seemed to be the greater fear, more so than Kruschev and his Commies. Remember halitosis, the scientific name (everything was more scientific, thanks to those pesky Russians again and their Sputnik), for common bad breath? Along came mouthwash and toothpastes that did more than fight cavities. “Fresh breath” was a social necessity.
Two commercials to address the underarm glandular issue stand out as--well, if not effective, at least unusual in their pitch. Remember the Grecian, maybe Roman, statue that rotated, while a baritone male voice gave a sonorous warning, “In the mature male and in the mature female, there are glands … powerful glands that … ” More scientific information and more things to worry about.
And what about the more pleasant deodorant ad, using the theme of the throw-away product – throw-away conveniences being a new feature in the more affluent 1950s – Five Day Deodorant Pads? That commercial had a bouncy, happy jingle – no fears, no worries, no fuss. Remember this –
You
better use Five Day Deodorant pads
‘Cause
they’re five times more effective,
Better
use Five Day Deodorant pads
And
throw your worries, away, BY DAY!
To use such a product would require one to keep a calendar in the bathroom to keep track.
What a stinky decade it must have been – mouthwash, deodorants, room air-fresheners, aftershaves that turned woman wild. Was there anything for stinky feet – foot spray or scented shoe inserts? There had to be.
With all that concern about foul odors, I’ll bet no one cooked cabbage anymore. But who would want to anyway. Cabbage was commonly used by Russians – it had to be subversive if you stunk up your house with cabbage. Not only would people not want to come to your home, but they might talk.
Wyatt Newman