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21231300 No.21231300 [Reply] [Original]

Any works on the cultural/psychological impact of advertising? I've read some like picrel and Fables of Abundance (both of which are histories of advertising), but I think advertising's influence is understated in the literature surrounding media and cultural conditioning.

Advertising's end goal-- its perfect form-- is convincing someone to purchase a product. Modern marketing theory argues that ads are most effective when they reinforces brand loyalty that has been conditioned since birth. Because the idealism portrayed in advertising only exists to manipulate a target market, the transformative power lies not with the product advertised, but rather the feelings projected through the ad. For example, an advertisement for Tupperware may show a happy family gathered for a picnic. Very seldom is the Tupperware the focus of the ad, but rather the feelings of fulfillment, togetherness, and love. The Tupperware is attached as a component of this idealized activity. Consciously or subconsciously, a consumer in the market for Tupperware will internalize these feelings, and, upon purchasing the Tupperware, eternally associate a mass produced piece of plastic to family, togetherness, etc.

Am I psued? A schizo? Or does anyone feel a similar way? Would love any recommendations related to media's influence on culture or ideology. For some reason many academics are reluctant to accept the argument that media heavily influences a given culture. Think about "muh gangsta rap DOES NOT relate to the absurd number of black men shot" type of thinking.

>> No.21231404
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21231404

>>21231300
The advertising industries' most profitable and transformative years were in the 1920s, 1950s, and 1980s. Images like this portrayed the 'happy' American lifestyle that centers almost entirely around the consumption of branded products. The idyllic lifestyle was one of decadent materialism, yet advertising ensures that all of these products also serve as the formation for a happy, successful, and white family. It invades society and one of its most fundamental level-- the family unit. A nuclear family consisting of 2.5 kids and a dog (as portrayed in this ad) allows plenty of disposable income for mindless consooming of unnecessary or premium products.

>> No.21231581 [DELETED] 

>>21231404
>decadent materialism
>consumption
>white family
You probably don't even see the contradiction here.

>> No.21232328
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21232328

>>21231300
>Advertising's end goal-- its perfect form-- is convincing someone to purchase a product.
No?
>Modern marketing theory argues that ads are most effective when they reinforces brand loyalty
So the end goal is as you said - BRAND LOYALTY.

>Any works on the cultural/psychological impact of advertising?
Yes. Here's one. Also do you have IRC.
https://psandman.com/col/climate.htm#cognitive
Begin reading here:

>Some of the implications of cognitive dissonance theory are counterintuitive – and very important to persuasive communication (including risk communication).

[...too long to quote, read it...]

>This gives rise to a very effective two-step persuasion strategy, grounded in cognitive dissonance. For example:

>Step 1: Switch to long-life fluorescent light bulbs (X) because your kid gets all bent out of shape whenever you use a traditional bulb (Z).
>Step 2: Learn about global warming (Y) and congratulate yourself on having reduced your carbon footprint to help save the planet.

>Between Step 1 and Step 2, of course, comes the cognitive dissonance: “Why am I letting my child harass me into changing what kind of light bulb I buy?”

>And then there’s a Step 3: Generalize your new understanding of climate change issues to a whole range of additional behaviors (ones your kid has nothing to do with), from what car you drive to what politicians you vote for.

>Starting in the 1970s, I have developed many campaigns for environmental activist groups that followed exactly this structure:

>1 an irrelevant and intellectually unconvincing motivator to trigger a new behavior;
>2 cognitive dissonance aroused by not knowing any good reasons for the behavior;
>3 information to rationalize and generalize the behavior.

[...too long to quote, read it...]

>>21231404
>20s, 50s, 80s
You forgot the 40s. The war propaganda against Germany, Japan, and Italy was highly effective. (Dying is the ultimate BRAND LOYALTY - even if the brand happens to have a flag as a logo.)