Cars were a necessity because they were useful for getting to work and traveling. During consumerism people bough more elaborate and stylish cars even if they did have a car already. People were encouraged to buy new better cars that they didn't really need.
This is a photo of a dishwasher when they became popular. The purchase of modern inventions were being sold rapidly. People didn't necessarily need these appliances, but they made life easier.
This advertisement encourages people to take a trip to Paris. During consumerism, people spent money on nonessential things like expensive vacations.
This is an advertisement encouraging people to go on a trip to Hawaii. Spending money on a trip to Hawaii, would be a huge investment during the 50's. It was a lot more expensive back then. People that invested in trips like these, didn't always have the money to go.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/00652120/
In an extremely short period of time television production grew to become the most significant source of both information and entertainment in the United States. In 1948, 1 million American homes had a television set, although they were only available to people on the East Coast. By 1960, 90% of American homes across the country had at least one TV.