Advertising and Society

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Advertising and Society, Certification link. more resources in 🌸🍓adtextonline🌷🍒 .

1. What Is Advertising? Definition & History

Definition:

• James Laver’s Definition: Advertising is any device which first arrests the attention of the passer-by and then induces him to accept a mutually advantageous exchange.
  • e.g. flower attracts butterfly using its color.
  • Broadly. This broad definition highlights the complexity and antiquity of advertising.
• Raymond Williams’ Definition: Advertising is the official art of capitalist society.
  • Narrowly.Linking it to the social context of capitalism and emphasizing its role in promoting consumerism.
• John E. Kennedy’s Definition: Advertising is salesmanship in print.
  • In terms of media.A salesman situation, Transforming face-to-face sales interactions into mass communication through various media.

Brief History:

• Early Advertising in America.
  • Began in the 1600s, influenced by English practices.
  • Benjamin Franklin, introduced illustrations in ads, and made them more visually appealing.
• Evolution in the 19th Century.
  • Manufacturing began to grow, leading to more domestic products being advertised.
  • James Gordon Bennett, treating ads as news.
• Advertising Agencies and Media Transformation.
  • The emergence of modern advertising agencies.
  • The introduction of radio and television.
• The rise of the Internet.

graph LR
Seller["Seller
(advertiser)"] --"Message
(advertisement)"--> Audience["Audience
(consumer)"]

1.1. Social Media

Social Media and Advertising Social media advertising turns users into marketers, relationships into distribution channels, and emotions into measurable ROI.

• “两步流”理论（Two-step flow）：信息先传给“意见领袖”，再由他们影响普通人。
• 在社交媒体上，KOL（意见领袖）和网红就是现代的意见领袖。
• 品牌通过他们实现“去中心化”的传播，比传统广告更具说服力。

2. Am I being manipulated by advertising?

Subliminal Advertising : suggests that messages can be communicated below the level of conscious awareness, influencing consumer actions. EXAMPLES

• Why does the public want to believe in subliminal advertising?
  • Displacement of Responsibility (to avoid accountability for their actions), Emotional Vulnerability, Complexity of Consumer Behavior, Cultural Narratives.
• 🤯 Irrational Consumer Behavior, allowing individuals to attribute their purchases to manipulation rather than personal choice.

Public Perception of Advertising: In US advertising practitioners are not trust by the public. While the perception of advertising varies globally. Hollywood may conduce negative image on advertising business.

Ethics and Advertsing

• Deceptive Advertising : a product is claimed to have capabilities it does not possess (it could be ambiguous), leading to public manipulation.
• Misleading advertising often occurs when claims lack specific, verifiable details—leaving consumers unable to confirm the statement’s truth.
• Impression management.

3. What’s in an ad beyond that which meets the eye?

3.1. Semiotics and Advertising

Semiotics (符号学) is the study of systems of signs (signifier + signified). then Advertising is the study of Semiotics system.

• Ad for Milk (sign) = Superman (signifier) + Milk (signified). In the ad, the quality of superman (signifier) and milk (signified) are linked (this process is called semiotics).
• Ads use signifiers to transfer attributes to commodities.

Building Brands Through Contrast. Brands are built by carefully selecting signifiers that convey specific attributes and values, often in opposition to other brands.

• Ads are IDEOLOGICAL.
• Ads borrow referent systems (science, history, geography, evaluation, etc) from outside advertising and rework them.
• According to Williamson, the ideological power of ads can be dealt with by understanding how ads work.
  • And we need to understand them to avoid ads from confusing us about the reality.

3.2. The intentions of ad creators and the interpretations of viewers

The distinction between the intentions of ad creators and the interpretations of viewers.

Peter Pan Peanut Butter Commercial. The commercial’s ideological message suggests that consumption can bridge cultural differences, which is critiqued as a false narrative.

1984 Apple commercial positions Apple as a liberating force against IBM’s dominance, referencing Orwell’s “1984” (Big Brother). In contrast, IBM’s commercial promotes productivity and harmony through technology, but critiques suggest it misrepresents the reality of factory work.

3.3. Ads and Art

The interpretation of art often involves questioning the artist's intent and the societal context, which can be challenging when the artist is unknown or the society has changed. Similar to art, advertisements are often interpreted without access to the creators' intentions, leading to varied personal meanings.

It is dangerous to assume a literal representation from the eyes of the viewers. It is important to understand deeper meanings in both art and advertising, viewers should consider the context and cultural codes that shape interpretation.

4. How do ads get made?

4.1. Advertising Agency

The 4 classical functions of an advertising agency:

• Account Executives : run the agency, manager client/agency relationships.
• Creative Department : make the ads. Artists, writers, etc.
• Research : Applied research.
  • Guide production before the ad is made.
  • Assist creatives during production.
  • Assess results after the ad is made.
• Media Division : place the ads in various media channels and managing the advertising budget.

graph LR
A["Thinking caps"] --> B["Brain storm"]
B --> C["Try the product"]
C --> D["Listen to research"]
E["Think some more!"] --> F["Try our ideas"]
F --> G["Throw every thing out"]
G --> H["Start all over again"]

4.2. Creativity Case Study

Old Spice, a brand with a long history, aimed to modernize its image and attract a younger audience after being acquired by Procter & Gamble.

The Old Spice commercial featured a humorous single-shot format, engaging both men and women, and was designed to highlight the brand’s masculine scent.

1. The Creative Process
2. Putting the creative idea into action.

4.3. Consumers Division & Research

Consumers division : by psycho-graphic categories — life-style & values.

1. Ideals : Thinkers & Believers.
2. Achievement : Achieve & Strives.
3. Self-Expression : Experiences & Makers.

block
columns 3

space
INNO["Innovators(High resources & innovation)
Highly successful people
In control of their lives
Have abundant resources
Spend lots of money
Buy expensive items that reflect their styles"]
space

TK["Thinkers (Ideals)
Motivated by ideals, well educated
professional occupations,
content with careers, families, station in life
informed about world & national events
functionality value, durability of products"]

AC["Achieve (Achievement)
Motivated by desire to achieve, Successful
Work = sense of duty, material rewards & prestige
Value predictability
Buy reliable, durable, stylish products
Brands that reflect their achievements"]

EX["Experiences (Self-Expression)
Seek variety and experience in their lives
Favor the off beat and risky
Avid consumers
But items on basis of whims,
appearance, & trendiness
"]

BL["Believers (Ideals)
Conservative, Conventional
value family, religion, community & nation
Predictable, Brand loyal
Prefer American made products
Respond to links to fundamental American values"]

ST["Strives (Achievement)
Seek to achieve, but lack self-confidence
Place heavy emphasis on opinion and approval
Like brands to help them fit into society
Buy affordable expensive items
but often settle for lower budget alternatives
Frequently save for expensive items."]

MA["Makers (Self-Expression)
Enjoy do-it-yourself projects
Self-sufficient and practival
Demand safe & reliable products
Always looking for good quality at low price
Men = cars, household projects
Women = sewing, cooking, household projects"]

space
SUR["Survivors(Low resources & innovation)
People on low budgets
Must shop for the least expensive
Survivors are typically ignored by advertisers."]
space


style TK fill:#9ab;
style BL fill:#9ab;

style EX fill:#cda;
style MA fill:#cda;

style INNO fill:#9dd;
style SUR fill:#dd9;

• Research Before Production : gather qualitative data about consumer behavior and preferences.
• Research During Production : address specific questions that arise during the creative process, ensuring realism in advertisements.
• Research After Production : measure consumer recall and persuasion.

5. Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality

Definition:

• Sex refers to biologically based differences (male or female).
• Gender is the socially defined differences between males and females, encompassing cultural ideas of masculinity and femininity.
• Sexism involves the unequal treatment of genders, similar to racism.

Issues in Advertising:

• Gender Representations - How is masculinity and femininity depicted?
• Sexist Representations - Are males and females treated unequally?
  • Advertising often depicts masculinity as powerful and dominant, while femininity is shown as passive and submissive.
• Using Sexual Imagery to Sell - How is sexuality linked to brand identities?
  • Used to attract attention and link products to brand identities.

Life cycle in advertising: Early Life Representations, Childhood and Adolescence, Adulthood and Aging

Depictions of Gender in Mad Men.

6. Does sex sell?

Tom Reichert’s research (The Erotic History of Advertising):

• Sex in ads includes: undress, suggestive poses, double entendres, sexual language, implied nudity.
• Conclusion: Sex can increase attention and brand recall, but results are mixed and context-dependent.
• Some brands (e.g., Calvin Klein, Victoria’s Secret) successfully use erotic appeal.

7. What’s the future of advertising?

Historical Context of Advertising

• Advertising has historically been ephemeral, with a short lifespan and little preservation of past materials.
• Significant collections of advertising history exist at institutions like Duke University and the Smithsonian, providing resources for studying advertising’s evolution.

Current Trends in Advertising

• New advertising spaces are being utilized, such as unconventional locations like bathroom stalls and supermarket floors.
• Innovations include postage stamps featuring advertisements and advertisements on public transportation, showcasing the creative use of available spaces.

Future Directions of Advertising

• The potential for advertising to colonize new spaces, including the night sky and even human bodies, raises ethical questions.
• Emerging technologies, like Google Glass, may introduce new advertising formats, prompting discussions about the legitimacy of advertising in various contexts.

This lecture focuses on the evolving landscape of advertising and its future, highlighting innovative practices that are reshaping the industry.

Current Trends in Advertising

• Total Marketing Communications: The shift from traditional advertising methods to creating relationships with consumers, as seen in Apple’s immersive store experience and Dove’s campaign promoting real beauty.
• Trend Spotting: Agencies are employing trend spotters to monitor societal changes and consumer interests globally, ensuring their advertising strategies remain relevant.

Innovative Advertising Practices

• Crowdsourcing: Engaging consumers in the creation of advertising content, exemplified by Doritos’ Super Bowl campaigns where public submissions were featured.
• Native Advertising: Ads that blend seamlessly with editorial content, making it challenging for consumers to distinguish between regular articles and sponsored content, as illustrated by Netflix’s promotion of “Orange is the New Black.”

Future Possibilities : as advertising continues to evolve, new innovations will emerge, reflecting changing consumer preferences and technological advancements.