Chocolate in Modern Times: Expansion of Consumption and New Social Identity
Although it was the industrial revolution that led to new inventions being made allowing for chocolate to be produced at faster and cheaper rate, therefore allowing more accessibility, it was the work of advertisement that got more people to eat chocolate products. Advertisements were strategically placed at events such as world’s fairs, where people go to try samples of chocolate, the selling of trading cards, people kept as collectibles, and just plan old advertising campaigns that led to a great increase in people consuming chocolate. Chocolate once thought to be a luxury only the elites and those could afford could have was now available to more people but how do you get more people to eat chocolate when they’ve never had it before?
It was events like the World’s Fair where many people had their first experience sampling chocolate. They also had the chance to watch the machinery that allowed for the production of chocolate. It was these chocolate exhibits that first brought attention to the new production of chocolate. These exhibits showed the whole process of making chocolate from cacao showing the purity of chocolate. It was also a place where companies could show that they got support from the crown by showing that they were suppliers to Queen Victoria and if she was consuming chocolate then it was safe to assume that it was safe to eat and beneficial. It was after touring one of these exhibits that Milton Hershey decided to start a chocolate company after being inspired by the machines he saw and later purchased. World’s Fairs weren’t just the first place for people to try chocolate but became a place that inspired people to get into the chocolate industry, as well as for people to see the purity of chocolate through its uncensored production that allowed for the increased consumption of chocolate.
The selling of trading cards with chocolate also had an impact on the increased consumption of chocolate. These trading cards became a collectable item and people wanted to collect one of each one they could. These trading cards had eye-catching images that got people to buy even more chocolate. Not only were they eye-catching they came with different recipes that used chocolate. The selling of chocolate trading cards led to the increased consumption of chocolate because people wanted to collect the cards and getting chocolate with them was a bonus.
Advertising campaigns that showed the benefits of chocolate that also lead to increased consumption. The main goal of the advertisement was to paint chocolate in a good light so more people would go out and buy and consume it. There were advertisements that showed the benefits of eating chocolate. There were advertisements that also changed over time to fit the current state of the world to show people that it was still okay to continue to eat chocolate during hard times and how it benefits not only them but others. During the Great Depression and World War II, chocolate was advertised as being beneficial because it could be a full meal and it also supported the soldiers that were fighting overseas and also eating the chocolate. A lot of advertisements used children to show the safety of eating chocolate and how it benefited the children to eat it because of how happy the children in the ads were.
When it came to advertisements using men and women, it changed over time. The use of women in chocolate advertising changed from showing women in domestic roles to women having lives outside of the household. When chocolate first used women for advertising they always showed them in a domestic role and being the ones to make or serve chocolate to the men. Eventually, this advertisement changed as women got to have more of a life outside the household. While the advertisement for men alway showed the benefits of chocolate for men, how it would make them stronger and get women. Chocolate advertisements always showed women as the object and men as the subject.
Advertisement played a big role in the expansion in the consumption of chocolate. It was advertising through big events where people first tried chocolate, the advertisement through trading cards, and advertising campaigns that got people to change their views on chocolate that caused the consumption to increase. If it weren’t for advertisements, the chocolate industry might not be what it is today and probably continue to be an item that only people with money could afford. After changing people's views of chocolate, how will their views change once they learn about the origins of the cacao used in the chocolate they love so much?
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