Advertising and sanitary education in the 1970s: “Developed people means clean people”

Abstract

The advertising campaign of sanitary education “Developed people means clean people”, performed by the character identified as “Sujismundo”, was well known during the 1970s. This article analyzes the campaign repercussion considering the historical context of the military period and the project for Brazil’s development. The campaign was conceived then by the created Special Office of Public Relations (Aerp) and initially exhibited during the government of Emílio Garrastazu Médici (1969-1974). This article intends to emphasize three aspects related to the advertising campaign and to the period in which it was presented: the importance assumed by the sanitary education for the Brazilian development project; the creation of the campaign and its purposes; and finally, the polemic caused by the character Sujismundo, in the media an in the military government. Created with the goal of transforming the hygiene and sanitary care habits, the campaign became emblematical of a new period in the history of communication in Brazil.