In this episode, I tell you the story of the Dodge Wife, a car released in the 1950s by automaker Chrysler. Good listening!
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Description of the episode
In the mid-1950s, the car manufacturer Chrysler took a bold gamble, namely to launch a car intended only for the fairer sex. The idea might seem interesting a priori, because after World War II, we quietly witnessed the emancipation of women.
I say very quietly, because in Quebec, it will be necessary to wait for the year 1964 for Minister Claire Kirkland-Casgrain to be able to table Bill 16. The latter stipulates that wives henceforth have legal rights comparable to those of their own. husband: they can have a bank account, sign contracts, borrow from the bank, and divorce. In addition, a married woman can finally exercise a profession without having to ask her husband’s permission.
How to seduce women
In short, in the early 1950s, paid work for married women was gradually becoming acceptable in America. Many families then have to get a second vehicle to ensure their travel. And obviously, car manufacturers will quickly understand that women play a key role in the process of purchasing this second vehicle since it is intended for them.
But how to attract this new clientele? For the leaders of Chrysler at the time, it was essential to offer a model that meets the interests of women, because the latter would not want a traditional model associated with men. We should find flowers, accessories, a feminine name and above all, pink. Lots of pink!
La Dodge Wife
Marketed under the Dodge brand, “La Femme” was launched with great fanfare in the spring of 1955. The body is heather pink and sapphire white. The interior is decorated with heather pink fabric and… pink ornaments. But above all, there is an assortment of typically feminine accessories according to the company.
The driver’s side compartment housed a rain coat, a rain hat and an umbrella that echoed the pattern of the seats. Another compartment contained a pale pink leather handbag in which were stored a compact, a lighter, a lipstick and a cigarette case. (The Woman’s Survival Kit)
Chrysler was convinced that the Dodge “La Femme” would be a hit when it hardly ever left dealer showrooms. In the end, the company would have sold only 2,500 vehicles before stopping production in 1956.
What explains the failure of the Dodge La Femme
What can explain this bitter failure? In his book 100 big flops from big brands, Matt Haig mentions:
« Women see in these crude attempts to get their attention a certain condescension. The approach ultimately echoes more of the classic masculine ideal of femininity rather than the way women of the 1950s actually saw themselves. And the majority of them seem to care less for a pink car and purple with matching comb and lipstick! »
Sources :
100 big flops from big brands, Matt Haig, 2011
The time Dodge built a car just for women, guideautoweb.com, 17 mars 2017
The 1955 Dodge La Femme: A car for women … by men, autoweek.com, June 19, 2017
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