Abstract This paper explains that, while the debate about the effect of television advertising on children has focused primarily on advertising aimed at children, children also are affected by advertisements aimed at adults, which children may view when watching prime-time television. The author points out that television advertisements often confuse children by blurring the line of reality and by using symbols that advertisers intend for an older audience. The paper relates that, while children may not identify actual celebrities, they certainly identify with fantasy celebrities such as the smile in the condensation of the Kool-Aid pitcher, which may reinforce ideas of refreshment or ideas of rebellion or escape from normal restrictions and routine.
From the Paper "Television advertisements are also misinterpreted by children. A study by Eliot Butter illustrates findings in this area. A group of four-year old children were observed watching an episode of Captain Kangaroo. Several times during the show, the program would pause for a commercial break. The children were asked to indicate to the experimenter when the show stopped and the commercials began. While 90% of the children could distinguish when the show stopped and the commercial began, this does not indicate they understand the "true" difference between commercials and programs."
Abstract The author of this paper looks at an advertisement for Valentine's Day produced for Kays Jewelers and examines the effect of the advertisement on the public. The writer then analyzes why the public identifies and empathizes with advertisements of this type which play heavily on feelings and emotion and asks the question as to whether the advertiser deliberately manipulates the viewer to enhance his message. The paper's conclusion is that, in the United States, the public is becoming increasingly susceptible and open to the influence of visual advertising.
From the Paper "Are the choices individuals make increasingly becoming the direct results of the images of the ads they view? While some might take certain images or ads as being influential, others aren't so easily influenced. Kay's Valentine's Day commercial brings happiness to both the buyer and the receiver after a purchase. Seasonal or holiday ads are significant in catching viewers' attention. In this sense, Kay's main subject in the commercial is love or companionship during this special holiday. Kay's commercial intends to make couples or people celebrate this passionate emotion with a purchase of their jewelries."
Abstract This paper begins by providing an historical background of the society in America in the 1980s and how advertising was geared towards this society. The writer explains that as older party and political structures declined, advertising became central to campaigns by the 1980s. In order to compare two advertising forms, the writer looks at two particularly effective campaigns, both by Republicans; one positive and one negative.
From the Paper "The positive campaign, for the 1984 Reagan re-election campaign, had the theme "Morning in America." The specific images were forgettable enough--family picnics and the like, shot in a soft-focus flavor if not literally with soft focus, but the campaign achieved its enormous effectiveness from its background. The decade of the 1970s had been a dismal one for the United States, beginning with the Vietnam War and civil disorder, and ending with oil crises and the Iranian embassy hostage crisis. The central theme of the 1984 ad campaign was that Reagan, almost through sheer force of personality, had halted this national decline; we had passed through the dark night and under Reagan it was indeed Morning in America again."
Abstract In this paper, the writer discusses the subject of advertising and the content of advertisements. The writer makes use of the analysis of the content of three advertisements in order to discuss the concept of the effective form of advertising.
From the Paper "Advertising is most effective when it creates an emotional connection in the audience. This emotional connection promotes a conceptual fulfillment of the advertisement, suggesting that the advertisers only need to go part of the way in creating the advertisement and the emotional response will then enable the audience to fill in the perceived gaps between what the advertiser offers and what they wish to see in the advertisement. The most effective forms of advertising are thus those which play upon some form of emotional status."
Abstract The paper discusses and sheds light on how changes in the advertising industry and new creative techniques emerged to make specific advertisements stand out from its competitors. The author examines what media and advertising strategies manufactures would use, where these new ideas came from and how consumers respond. A look at how technology and the emergence of new unexplored mediums altered previous advertising strategies.
From the paper:
"In the 1880s most manufactures were starting to see a huge boom in the economy, which allowed them to expand their area of distribution and dip into new markets previously unattainable. Alongside this enormous economic growth, many technological changes were taking place as well. For example, mechanized farming equipment, sewing machines, and other machinery were invented increasing the production processes of the past. As a direct result of this increase in production, factories expanded and products became available at a lower cost and faster rate than ever before. New inventions began to appear such as the automobile, telephone and light bulb. In 1896 the government and the railroad companies developed the national railroad system and rural free delivery. With this, it was now possible for manufactures to distribute goods to geographic areas previously unreachable."
Abstract The three advertisements to be discussed in this essay - "Make every day delicious - Fancy Feast"; "Taste That Goes Right To Your Bones - Tropicana"; "Now you can get even closer to Nature - Nature's Gate Organics" - provide excellent examples of how print media advertisements make use of fallacious reasoning in promoting products to consumers. Central to this analysis will be Gilbert's theory of Multi-Modal Argumentation which allows us to appreciate how arguments can function on not only the level of logic, but also that of emotion, physicality, and intuition (Gilbert, p.3). In the process of analysis, each advertisement will be broken down into its component arguments that will be subject to the analysis outlined above.
Abstract Advertising in politics has changed very little over hundreds of years in terms of content although it has evolved dramatically in form with the advent of television. The paper shows that common ploys used by political advertisers appeal to the irrational emotional aspect of an individual priming stereotypes and with the advent of television, powerful visual grammar that sends messages more vividly. The paper argues that to counteract these ploys, an individual must become actively involved in critiquing the advertisements and exercise due diligence in selecting political candidates based on facts.
From the Paper "The most recent elections concluded in November 2004 is a vivid example of advertising in politics. From the alleged revelation of George W. Bush's military records to the Swift Boat veterans' advertisement against presidential candidate John Kerry, it is hard to deny their influence in shaping the overall outcome of the elections. How are these advertisements so effective in rallying or turning away voters and swaying undecided ones? Advertising in politics has taken its familiar form over the course of hundreds of years. It is not surprising that even before the advent of television the same tactics have been used to appeal to the most basal of human prejudices quite effectively. It was not a matter of presenting the absolute truth that was a politician's strength, but rather how he projected himself in contrast to his opponents."
Abstract This paper studies the inaccurate and sexist ways in which women are portrayed in advertising -- most often either as completely domesticated (housewives) or completely sexualized. The author explains that while television programs often now depict women in their professional capacity, the advertising industry is still based on a patriarchal ideology, which inaccurately portrays women. The paper studies the effect of this portrayal on women, men and society as a whole, and makes suggestions to rectify the inaccuracies.
From the Paper "Even more harmful than the stereotyping of women through advertising is their portrayal in pornographically explicit material. There has been a vast increase of such material in both the television and print media. The women that are part of this industry earn a substantial income from it. However, the effects upon society are far more harmful than they are beneficial. The trivialization and objectification of women in this way has led to a large extent to minor and major sex crimes such as rape and coersion to have sex. Harrassment and and traditional views of sex roles are also a consequence of the deliberately degrading function of stereotypical images in pornographic material. Women are normally shown to be passive and submissive in the sex act, while males are active."
A comparison of the use of symbolism in "The Ones who Walk away from Omelas", by Ursula Le Guin, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and Elizabeth Tallent's "No One's a Mystery."
Abstract This paper discusses symbolism in literature. It specifically looks at and compares "The Ones who Walk away from Omelas", by Ursula Le Guin, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and Elizabeth Tallent's "No One's a Mystery." It compares the authors' use of language and symbolism in their works and discusses the emotions that they are trying to juxtapose.
From the Paper "The three stories have in common contrast and archetype. The horrors of Le Guin's and Jackson's stories lie in the fact of human suffering and sacrifice for the purpose of the well-being of the greater majority. There is a common understanding that the suffering is necessary. In Tallent's story, the contrast is between the reality and the ideal. The ideal of love and marriage with Jack will never be a reality. To a degree, there is also juxtaposition between the sacrifice tradition in "The Lottery" and the reality of its true effect. Questioning this effect emphasizes the horror of the event. In all three stories, the symbolism is drawn from the common human experience, and often from the psychology of the subconscious. This provides each story with an atmosphere that forces the reader towards a conclusion that is not pleasant."
Abstract This essay explores the emotions and feelings in the decision making process. It does this by first defining what is meant by the decision making process. It then looks at emotions and feelings in consumer psychology, relating how this impacts on the decision-making process. The essay also views the role of these emotions and feelings in the decision-making process in the South African context, and discusses various ways in which emotions and feelings can be used in a marketing strategy to enhance marketing communication (i.e.: the combination of advertising, the sales force, public relations, packaging and any other technique in which that the company provides itself and its products) and a company's total product (i.e.: the entire set of characteristics involved in the marketing strategy).
From the Paper "The most perverse and influential assumption in consumer behavior research is that a decision making process precedes purchases (ie: that the consumer goes through a complex process of deciding what and where to purchase, before the actual purchasing itself). Many definitions of the decision making process exist, but most agree that two or more actions occur within it and, therefore, choice must occur. In addition, individual consumer's "evaluative criteria" facilitate the forecasting of each alternative's consequences for the consumer's goals or objectives. Further, the chosen alternative is determined by an evaluative procedure, and information sought from external sources or retrieved from memory is processed in the application of this evaluation process (Olshavsky & Granbois, 1991). Interestingly, there is evidence that a significant proportion of purchases may not be preceded by a decision process, and that for many purchases, a decision process never occurs."
Abstract The counterculture symbolism of the 1960s was co-opted by business, particularly ad industry in order to unleash creativity in the industry. Like the counterculture, the ad industry defied conformism and homogeneity, but only to promote new consumerism. The counterculture challenged capitalist social order whereas using the same ideas the ad industry reinforced capitalist order.
Abstract This paper discusses the respective approaches that Wal-Mart and target corporations take vis-a-vis advertising. The paper takes on the form of a SWOT analysis, outlining the relative merits and demerits of each approach, while offering a brief assessment of what possibly lies ahead for each. More than that, the paper suggests that the present battle being waged between them will only escalate as target proves itself a worthy adversary.
From the Paper "Advertising has always been the lifeblood of businesses everywhere. In recent years, however, the level of sophistication found in American advertising has grown exponentially. The following paper will look at two sophisticated businesses - Walmart and Target - and assess the relative merits and demerits of their advertising strategies. If Walmart is habitually referred to as an organization preferring "rational" advertising, then Target must surely be an organization that stresses innovation and high quality as part of its 'sales pitch' to America - and to the rest of the World. "
Abstract Marketers and business researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the way that emotional factors affect and influence consumer behavior. The paper's author contends that the term 'emotion" brings with it a great degree of ambiguity and misunderstanding that often confuses the way that this aspect is seen to relate to consumer behavior. The writer discusses some of the aspects of the interaction between emotion and consumer behavior in both a practical and theoretical sense.
Outline:
Introduction and Overview
Theoretical Perspectives
Practical Aspects
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "The theories of emotional behavior posited by Zajonc and others have very real practical implications for contemporary marketers and for the general understanding of consumer behavior. In essence, the significance of emotions or affective patterns of behavior, according to theorists like Zajonc, are that these feelings or emotional aspects of decision-making are the first and most primary component of consumer behavior. Another essential aspect is that in theory affective behavior takes place before reasoning and cognitive aspects. This has obvious repercussions in terms of understanding and determining consumer behavior patterns."
Abstract This paper states that, if there were some global disaster, the last thing to disappear would be the commercial message. The author points out that the most disturbing point about ads is that they reduce every item in the world to a commodity and people to no more than consumers. The paper relates that along with the specific content of ads is the overall message that all people need for fulfillment and happiness are material goods. The author underscores that advertising has become very skilled in using psychology to shape people's desires and value systems, including the person's self-concept. The paper states that various material goods are linked with all sorts of real traditional values so that products and meaning are confused.
Table of Contents:
Commentary
Observation Chart
From the Paper "Advertising extends its influence farther than can be controlled by a simple code of ethics because advertisers control the meanings across the entire society. Advertising has extensive image-based influence and changes the image system in areas such as economics and politics. I as a single individual, find that every space I have is inundated with advertising's images. There is no escape for individuals and there is no relief for the whole society. As a result, the real world of true values and of deep human aspirations is becoming increasingly smaller."
Abstract This essay examines the importance of advertising in today's society and analyses the representation of gender, race and class in today's advertising. The essay argues that gender and racial inequality and stereotyping are very much present in today's advertising and furthermore that this serves advertising needs. It also argues that advertising, combined with technology is a powerful tool in maintaining consumerist culture and that many corporations depend heavily on advertising for profit. Advertising is sophisticated, very well thought through and everywhere. It directly impacts our choices and often mirrors society.
