International Coffee Day, the Secretary Coffee Protest & a Collection of Husband Pleasing Advertisements

29 September is International Coffee Day. On this day, coffee is celebrated and - among other things - awareness for fair trade coffee is promoted. Coffee also seems to have some potential to raise gender role awareness ...
In 1977, the 35-year-old legal secretary Iris Rivera refused to make coffee in the Illinois State Appellate Defenders office for her bosses every day as a) making coffee was not listed as one of her job duties, b) this order carried the role of homemaker too far and c) she did not drink coffee herself. She refused and was dismissed from her job. Her dismissal launched a secretary coffee protest (via and via).

"You're always ready in a Westbury" (via)



"If your husband ever finds out you're not store-testing for fresher coffee ... if he discovers you're still taking chances on getting flat, stale coffee ... wee be unto you!", Chase & Sanborn Coffee (1952). (via)



"Husband pleasing coffee ... at wife pleasing prices" (via)



"Husband pleasing coffee" (via)



"Treat him instantly to the rich, rich coffee with the - Husband Pleasin' Heartiness. If your husband's fussy about his coffee, it's time to change to Edwards Instant." (via)



"Young married's dream" (via)



"Don't blame the coffee pot! When that man across the breakfast table says the coffee is terrible - don't pout and blame the coffee pot!" (via)



"Sometimes husbands must be mothered. Strictly between ourselves, Alice, sometimes the only way to handle these obstinate men is to treat them as you do a child - simply give them what's good for them. " (via)



"This new coffee flavor makes early morning angels" (via)



1950 Maxwell House Coffee Ad "This famous coffee has just what it takes to make a hit with the man of the house these winter days." (via)



"And Maxwell Coffee is truly good coffee - the kind men like." (via)



"Some husbands actually break out in a jig when they taste that grand Borden flavor, folks tell us." (via)



"Now! Even a man can make perfect coffee in just five seconds!" (via)



"Darling - To make good coffee, use enough. A heaping tablespoon for each cup. Betty" (via)



"Your husband's TV.jee-bees. Every night after dinner it looks like the American male married the T.V. set. (...) Good luck, ladies." (via)



"Signora, affinchè suo marito trascorra senza scosse ..." (via)



Prefer tea? "I was about to divorce you Clementine, because you couldn't make decent tea. But this wonderful brew makes me love you all over again!" "Oh, lucky day I changed to Lipton Tea ... it has given me back my husband!" (via)



In the 21st century, coffee advertisements still cause controversy. In 2006, for instance, the Swedish Trade Ethical Council against Sexism in Advertising (ERK) judged a Lavazza coffee advertisement showing a woman lying in bed drinking coffee with an unbuttoned shirt to be discriminatory "because the woman was used as an eye catcher and had nothing to do with the advertised product" and because Lavazza had not lived up to the principle that "advertising should be formed with due regard for social responsibility". (via)

International coffee day link pack (husband pleasing coffee commercials on YouTube)
- How can such a pretty wife make such bad coffee watch
- Your coffee tastes terrible watch
- Mountain grown for richer flavor watch
- Bad taste watch
- Honey, you're coffee is not drinkable watch
- I've got to do something about my coffee watch
- A vacation away from your coffee watch
- Don't serve your awful coffee with my steaks watch
- Take it from me girls, the way to a man's heart is through coffee (Lauren Bacall) watch
- I'm married a year and I still can't make good coffee watch
- He is right. I don't make good coffee watch