Tyranny of AdvertisingTyranny of AdvertisingUnderstanding the Impact of Ads and Developing the Skills to Build Your Media Dorji

Media Nomads, Thimphu, Bhutan

Alex Greene & Kayle Schnell

January 5th, 2011

Advertising in America

In cities throughout the United States like New York, American’s are constantly bombarded with Advertisements from the moment they walk outside.

Global Advertising and Homogenization of Gender, Global Advertising and Homogenization of Gender, Body Type, Individual and the Habit of Body Type, Individual and the Habit of

ConsumptionConsumption

Global advertising Global advertising spending is spending is

approximately $500 approximately $500 billion by billion by

conservative conservative estimates.estimates.

Within the first six Within the first six months of life, months of life,

American children American children can recognize can recognize

corporate logoscorporate logos..

Advertising TechniquesAdvertising Techniques

1.1. Celebrity Celebrity Endorsement, Endorsement, Greatness by Greatness by AssociationAssociation

2.2. Direct ComparisonDirect Comparison

3.3. Social Social Embarrassment Embarrassment

4.4. Culture of NewCulture of New

5.5. False Problems, False Problems, False SolutionsFalse Solutions

Why is it important to understand advertising techniques?

Themes and Themes and ConsequenceConsequence

s in s in AdvertisingAdvertising

Gender RolesGender Roles Domestic abuse, depressionDomestic abuse, depression

IndividualityIndividuality Narcissism, selfishness, lack Narcissism, selfishness, lack

of empathy, loss of sense of of empathy, loss of sense of communitycommunity

Body Image Body Image Eating disorders, self-esteem Eating disorders, self-esteem

issues, bullyingissues, bullying Consumption Consumption

Shopaholic, More is always Shopaholic, More is always better, false notion that better, false notion that materialism leads to materialism leads to happinesshappiness

What does this Vera Wang ad suggest about what it means to be female?

-Crafting the female identity as a ‘shopper’

- Shopping at the mall as a social activity

- Narrowing the definition of what it means to be a girl

-Girls are no longer defined by human qualities but rather material qualities.

-False Problem, False Solution

Stereotypes and gender roles are embedded in almost every advertisement with which a male or female is the focus.

Not all Women are Like Not all Women are Like thisthis

Beauty Constructed in Beauty Constructed in AdsAds

We don't often see the We don't often see the before-and-after pictures before-and-after pictures for advertisements, but for advertisements, but dramatic retouching isn't dramatic retouching isn't uncommon in print ads. uncommon in print ads.

Judging by the positioning Judging by the positioning of Alba's knees in these of Alba's knees in these shots, these are either shots, these are either different frames or Alba's different frames or Alba's head was Photoshopped head was Photoshopped onto a model's body. Notice onto a model's body. Notice the knee caps on the right? the knee caps on the right?

Retouchers usually erase Retouchers usually erase those instead of adding those instead of adding them in. Regardless of them in. Regardless of what exactly they did here, what exactly they did here, it just goes to show how it just goes to show how fake all these images are. fake all these images are.

Tricks Of The Trade

Male Gender RolesMale Gender Roles

Male is identified asMale is identified as muscle, physical strength muscle, physical strength and powerand power

Gyms are the normal Gyms are the normal social center for malessocial center for males

Males are now narrowed Males are now narrowed into just one roleinto just one role

A man is now defined on A man is now defined on markers of his gender. markers of his gender.

False Problem, False False Problem, False SolutionSolution

Direct correlation Direct correlation between muscle size and between muscle size and masculinitymasculinity

Not All Men Look Like Not All Men Look Like ThisThis

Jewlery, Jewlery, Consumption & Consumption & Gender RolesGender RolesWomen are always

identified as jewelry consumers in advertising

Women are stereotyped through ads that suggest

females should want jewelry

from their male partners.

Let her experience your

love based on the jewelry you buy

her this Christmas.

Relationships are portrayed as

happier and more fulfilling with the

gift of jewelry involved.

Men are identified as

jewelry buyers in

advertisements.

“How far would you go for love?

”

Implies $=love

Unrealistic ExpectationsUnrealistic Expectations

Advertisements Enforce Male Advertisements Enforce Male StereotypesStereotypes

Beer Ads Enforce False Beer Ads Enforce False Ideas about MasculinityIdeas about Masculinity

Ubiquitous nature of Ubiquitous nature of beer advertisingbeer advertising

What this is saying What this is saying men should be like men should be like

Why it is Why it is problematic, What problematic, What are the are the implications?implications?

Educational Educational MessageMessage

Campus StoryCampus Story

‘‘Super-MomSuper-Mom’’ Image of Image of WomenWomen

Work Work Cook for the familyCook for the family Entertain guests Entertain guests Take care of children Take care of children Maintain a clean houseMaintain a clean house Go food shopping Go food shopping

weeklyweekly Take care of Take care of ‘‘working working

manman’’ Bring kids to schoolBring kids to school Create the social Create the social

environment for environment for childrenchildren

Make all major Make all major purchases for the purchases for the householdhousehold

Make decisions about Make decisions about the familythe family

The role of the mother in the United States is full of unrealistic expectations where she is supposed to manage all family matters within the house as the father brings home the money to maintain and feed that kind of lifestyle.

Extreme StereotypesExtreme Stereotypes

-This advertisement enforces the male as dominant and the female as submissive.

- Woman is still placed in a highly sexualized position

-Males are seen as macho, uncompassionate, and jaded.

- This shows extreme false problems and false solutions associated with gender roles.

What is the story being told through this advertisement?

Extreme IndividualismExtreme Individualism

“Because you’re worth it” Extreme individualism can be dangerous to

a culture's health, leading to selfishness, narcissism, egomania and the mistaken notion that humans are not interdependent.

How does this advertisement reinforce individuality?

What are the risks of these ads?

•Techniques of this advertisement

•A woman decides whether or not she will be beautiful

•She needs this technology in order to be beautiful

•This ad puts all the responsibility on the individual.

“I Take Beauty into My Own Hands. Sometimes Literally.”

Visual Visual Objectification of Objectification of

Body PartsBody Parts-Advertisement targets aspects of the individual ie. The face

-Objectifies the body

-Puts emphasis on need to be good looking and well maintained.

-Clothes are not enough

The Impact of Ads on The Impact of Ads on YouthYouth

Selling a product as part of a larger image of what it means to be “cool” or “hip”

Growing up in America, Children are constantly pressured to buy products or wear clothing with a certain label or brand that help to identify them and affect the way they socialize with their peers, define themselves and symbolize the level of wealth to which they are accustomed to.

Branding: Associates a product with a person’s identity

Branding The Super Wealthy, Branding The Super Wealthy, Highly Attractive, Trendy and Highly Attractive, Trendy and

Preppy ConsumerPreppy Consumer

-Chaco is trying to get the consumer to identify with a certain image that they are manufacturing

- Want consumer to believe the correlation between material goods and happiness.

-Individual is presented as being defined by products/image

-Youth buy certain products so that they can be identified as:

-Nature lover

-Hipster

-Jock

-Preppy

-Clothing has become symbolic of who you are.

Branding and Identity

Branding the Super ThinBranding the Super Thin

-American Apparel is targeting one image of a woman

-Companies target consumers using different body images

-By repetitive use of skinny models, the company sells the notion of beauty = skinny.

-The majority of American women don’t have this body type.

Body Image Body Image and Peer and Peer GroupsGroups

-The body types used in this advertisement are not a accurate portrayal.

- The lack of clothing, and slick wet look is selling an image of a highly sexualized lifestyle.

- Suggesting that this is the normal social environment.

High Costs of Good LooksHigh Costs of Good Looks Gym MembershipGym Membership: : $30-$60 USD$30-$60 USD

per month or roughly per month or roughly $400-$700$400-$700 dollars a year.dollars a year.

Personal TrainerPersonal Trainer: : $60-$100$60-$100 dollars per session. Some charge up dollars per session. Some charge up $15,000$15,000 dollars for six week dollars for six week intensive programs.intensive programs.

NutritionistNutritionist: : $50-$175 USD$50-$175 USD per per hour. At roughly two visits a week hour. At roughly two visits a week that comes to, $10,400 dollars a that comes to, $10,400 dollars a yearyear

Organic/Local FoodOrganic/Local Food: On average : On average local organic food costs anywhere local organic food costs anywhere from from 10% to 60%10% to 60% more than store more than store brand.brand.

Plastic SurgeryPlastic Surgery: Basic procedures : Basic procedures start at roughly start at roughly $20,000$20,000..

TotalTotal: : $55,000$55,000 alone, just on good alone, just on good looks.looks.

At least 80% of humanity lives on At least 80% of humanity lives on less than less than $10$10 a day a day

Fashion & Excessive Fashion & Excessive ConsumptionConsumption

-Women have to be fashionable and beautiful.

-This advertisement implies that all girls and women should ‘WANT’ to buy clothing

- We are told through these advertisements that fashion should be how we define ourselves.

You Are What You Wear?

- This advertisement wants you to believe that to define yourself, you must consistently wear the same underwear.

- Men are grouped by there underwear, as if it actually speaks about their personality.

- Sets up atmosphere of choice, need, and creation of the individual based on products.

-“Are you a boxer guy or brief guy.”

-False Problem, False Solution

Fashion and consumption are illustrated as a gateway to happiness in the present moment. Perception of reality.

False Problem: Certain expensive products, as opposed to mind, community or family, can give you heightened enjoyment of the present moment.

False Solution: Buying these clothes from Banana Republic will make you more ‘present’ this holiday season.

“Love the Present”

False Problem: More attractive = Over consumption

- The woman in this image isn’t wearing one watch, she’s wearing 4-5 on each wrist. This suggests that in order to attract male attention or be a beautiful woman you need to be excessive and over consuming.

-Each of those watches is about $300 each. That means in order to have all these watches you have to be able to spend almost $2,000 on just those items, let alone everything else she is wearing.

False Solution: Excess is legitimate and fun. Excessive buying makes you popular.

Women, Beauty and Consumption

Advertising – How Susceptible Are YOU?

Concluding Message: Don’t be Fooled by Ads:

Key Terms to Remember:

1. Developing a Media Dorji: Being able to see through false images within advertising

2. Norming the False: All ads have a story that sets up and normalizes a stereotype that is false.

3. Providing a Fake Solution: All ads make you think you need a product to solve a FAKE problem with a FAKE solution.

4. Branding, Image and Identity: Don’t believe that you are defined by what you wear.

If you can deconstruct and understand some of these false notions within ads, you are less likely to be fooled into the over-consuming culture many Americans have been sucked into.

Understanding Ad Deconstruction

Workshop: Turning an Ad Workshop: Turning an Ad Upside DownUpside Down