La classe moyenne se met en scène : la publicité des quotidiens montréalais comme discours de classe, 1920-1970

The author points out that newspaper advertisements reflect the complexity of a major phenomenon of the twentieth century: the formation and definition of the middle class. Based on the analysis of ads published in two Montreal dailies -- The Montreal Star and La Presse -- between 1920 and 1970, the author demonstrates the defining characteristics and aspirations attributed to the middle class in publicity. He notes that the notion of social success changed during these decades. For example, he points out, in the inter-war period, the ads were modelled after the way of life of the upper class, and in the post-war period, after the lifestyle of salaried employees living in affluent suburbs. However, for the entire period the author studied, the place of middle-class women was depicted as being in the domestic realm and that of men in the public arena. He also discovered that some local advertisers fine-tuned their marketing strategies to the Montreal sociocultural context.

Recherches sociographiques

Vol. 53

no. 3

585-619

Décembre 2012

fr