Portrayals of families in the 1950s were extreme in myriad ways. The concept of the “nuclear family,” in which husband, wife and their children were considered the smallest unit in our society, became incredibly popular. Husbands and wives each seemed to have particular roles and duties from which they could not deviate. The husband, of course, was a worker responsible for bringing money to the family. His wife was working on something else: the house itself. She cleaned, cooked and decorated. He bought groceries and clothes for everyone. He watched their children, fed them and cared for them. In the 1950s, advertising supported these roles and only these roles: moving away from them was quite unthinkable. The “nuclear family” had a facade of perfection, hiding every problem within. To challenge him was to ostracize oneself. More than half a century later, the concept of family has loosened considerably, but the influence of the 1950s lives on. In the accompanying 2011 ad, Coca-Cola supports its consumerist goals by presenting a modern twist on classic 1950s family ideals through unabashed acceptance of the negative effects of its products. The most obvious continuation of the ideals of the 1950s is seen in the family roles presented in this contemporary advertisement. The person pushing the shopping cart is presumably a woman; although her face is obscured, she is dressed according to modern maternal stereotypes in a light pink sweater and skinny jeans. This is a direct continuation of the 1950s ideal of a mother who takes care of the shopping for the family. Furthermore, she has a child with her, which evokes the role of a mother in raising children. The mother appears to have taken her daughter with her on errands, which... middle of paper ......and due to irresponsibility and error within a family, albeit in a subtle way so as not to ruffle too many feathers. In this way, Coca-Cola presented an advertisement that, while updating the ideals of the 1950s for our modern world, managed not to stray too far from safety. In this way, their advertising can build trust and encourage consumption of their products.Works Cited!Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. New York, NY: Basic, 1992. Print.!Ehrenreich, Barbara. The Hearts of Men: American Dreams and the Escape from Commitment. Garden City, NY: Anchor/Doubleday, 1983. Print.Works Cited Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. New York, NY: Basic, 1992. Print.Ehrenreich, Barbara. The Hearts of Men: American Dreams and the Escape from Commitment. Garden City, New York: Anchor/Doubleday, 1983. Print.