American Futurism in the Atomic EraMain MenuIntroductionUnderstanding the Development and Context of Futurism in the Cold WarBusinesses Embrace FuturismNASABoosted by FuturismMarketed AudiencesSuburban American; Youth; Specialized: Scientists, Technologists, IndustrialFuturism by ThemeConclusionBibliographyGina Plumeyc7bdb6b48ecbb34364302aeee300c6bd09f67510
1media/FN09_thumb.jpg2019-10-30T06:24:46+00:00Gina Plumeyc7bdb6b48ecbb34364302aeee300c6bd09f6751013This ad utilizes the naming reference common in the space race and also gives a direct reference to the coming decade. The implication being, consumers need these products to get by in the future.plain2019-12-04T21:52:48+00:00Gina Plumeyc7bdb6b48ecbb34364302aeee300c6bd09f67510
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1media/H06.jpg2019-10-14T06:06:17+00:00Futurism by Theme: For the Home11plain2019-12-04T20:32:44+00:00Department stores, energy companies, and appliance manufacturers embraced futurist themes in order to encourage spending on consumer products for the home. This was part of the larger government effort to stimulate the economy during the Cold War. This push in consumption marks a significant shift from previous decades when Americans were more frugal due to war scarcity and the depression. Futurist advertisements for the home were particularly gendered. Advertising aimed at men was focused on gadgets and industrial or space design. While advertisements aimed at women centered on keeping up with the rest of the community by having the newest appliances with a focus on plastics (see figures 55 and 57 for space influenced kitchen advertisements. Also see clip 07, below, on futuristic homes and kitchens aimed at women). In addition to the direct futurist advertisements marketed to homeowners, were the larger projects that influenced how people viewed living in tomorrow’s communities. This ties into transportation and the boom in suburbia. Many private and government-sponsored housing developments emerged attempting to attract demographics into designed future communities.
