Mrs. Housewife

"Mrs. Housewife" or an equivalent was a stereotype coined by companies in the emerging consumer culture after World War I. She was white, middle class, and married with children.

Through advertisements, companies like the DuPont used popular women's magazines to address women's desire for quality products, personal choice, and convenience--all things they promised Cellophane could provide.

DuPont also published merchandising guides like the one pictured here to help retailers market Cellophane in terms the company already used in its public advertisements. Both were directed at women.

Images and related content in the Hagley Digital Archives: