I found a segment of Sarah Haskins’ “Target Women” from Infomania that specifically looks at how advertisements use fairy tale characteristics in order to appeal to women. The first commercial that she looks at opens with the words “A Philly Fairy Tale” at the top of the screen. A narrator describes the day of a seemingly ordinary accountant whose life suddenly seems wonderful after eating some Philly cream cheese. She discovers that she has the money to have a fun night out with her friends and is even invited to a man’s beautiful Tuscan villa. It ends with the words “Snack Happily Ever After.” The commercial seems imply that simply by eating this product, your life could become wonderful like a stereotypical fairy tale, complete with a rich and handsome “prince.”
Another commercial that Sarah Haskins talks about has the components of a more traditional fairy tale with a princess, a King, and a challenge that must be overcome. It tells the story of a princess who cannot get married because she has “ugly” hair (she has snakes on her head). The King promises her hand in marriage to whoever can tame her hair. Many men try, but it is finally a wise and humble peasant who succeeds in taming her hair by giving her a glass of milk. And of course there is a wedding at the end. I personally like this commercial since it is a rise fairy tale (and plus the cow is cute). But of course, this commercial targets women and encourages them to drink milk, so it is more about the princess, her predicament, and the fantastic magical properties of the milk rather than the wise peasant. You can see through this commercial how the intended audience and ulterior motive of the narrator can affect what is emphasized in the story.
Here is the video:
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