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Moving mainstream while courting counterculture.
I wonder how many people would be surprised to learn that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was never ratified. What would have been the 27th amendment to the U.S. Constitution missed ratification by yea votes from three states, and was never taken up again, though Interest in revisiting the issue has been piqued in the aftermath of the #MeToo Movement.
More Favorite Car Ads
1977 Volkswagen Dasher
It was the late Seventies, and ERA had broad bipartisan support, but ultimately didn’t become law. These were strange days culturally, as the hippie/Vietnam era collided with disco music and cocaine. It was also an odd time for the feminist movement to boil over, but at least Volkswagen was there to capture the magic of the moment.
Thanks to the popularity of the Beetle and the Micro Bus, Volkswagen enjoyed a free-spirit reputation embraced by American counter culture, both by legitimate anti-establishment types, and those who simply enjoyed the whimsy of associating with such a brand.
The cultural collision of the moment—right around 1977—was one of several facets. First, despite the failure of the ERA, women were getting jobs, educations, and—this is important—buying cars at a rate similar to their fellow male Americans. Secondly, as VW sales increased in the U.S., the company needed to begin mainstreaming its message—not too much, mind you–but the societal fringe wasn’t going to take the brand mainstream. Also, VW was beginning to sell cars, like the Rabbit—that were much more conventional than the Beetle and Micro Bus had been.
So, how does a German maker with a history of selling strange cars embrace feminism, the post-hippie era, and a new, mainstream product lineup? With this fabulous ad:
Lighter on text than some previous VW ads, this brilliant ‘vert hits all the big points. First, the woman in the ad is in no hurry to do something crazy and conventional, like get married. She is smart enough to recognize value and utility when she sees it, so she went against type and purchased a station wagon. Also, she’s informed enough (as a girl!) to appreciate technical bits including fuel injection and front-wheel drive. And, apparently, she’s not afraid to drive off road (where was this car photographed?).
One assumes that our attractive young heroine proceeded to fill the rest of her day smoking Virginia Slims and reading a Joan Didion book.
For the record, the Dasher was a well-regarded small car, known for its spirited handling and excellent fuel economy. We can only hope the car seen here sported a manual transmission—because women drive stick, too. And, it strikes me that this non-conformist VW driver deserves to see the ERA ratified someday. I wonder, though, if she ever married, and how many kids she had.
Classic Car Ads: Small Station Wagons
Volkswagen Dasher Gallery
(Click below for enlarged images)
Vintage Sexism
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