Chapter 11

ADVERTISING and

Commercial Culture

Some guiding questions

How did advertising develop?How did advertising help transform

America into a consumer society?What are some persuasive

advertising techniques?What is the role of advertising in a

democratic society?

ADVERTISING IS PERVASIVE

Has American life become too commercialized?

What do you think?

What has been the CULTURAL and SOCIAL IMPACT of advertising

on 20th-century American

society?

Social and Cultural Transformations

shift from agrarian, small-town life to urban, consumer-driven lives

associated with capitalist economic system

both creates and satisfies our desires and needs as consumers

undergirds all our mass media industries

“Ads are the economic glue that holds the media together.”

How did it come to be this way?

Was it inevitable?How does advertising

affect our lives?

Early Developments in Advertising

first advertising agenciestrademarks and packagingpatent medicines and

department storeslarge manufacturers

Advertising and Social Change

How did advertising contribute to major social changes in America?

Role of advertising in social change

influenced shift to consumer-driven society

promoted technological advancesencouraged economic growth by

increasing salesrecognized women as primary

decision-makers about consuming

Early regulation of advertising

Better Business Bureau (1913)Audit Bureau of Circulation

(1914)Federal Trade Commission (1914)American Association of

Advertising Agencies (1917)

AMERICAN ADVERTISING TODAYearly ads were slogan-driven,

oriented around wordsgrowing influence of visual designWhat advertisements do you

feel are memorable and effective?

The Mega-Agency in Advertising

worldwide regional officesprovide advertising and PR servicesoften have radio and TV production

studiosWhat are some concerns about the

power of mega-agencies?

STRUCTURE OF AD AGENCIES

MARKET RESEARCHCREATIVE

DEVELOPMENTMEDIA SELECTIONACCOUNT SERVICES

Market Research

DemographicsPsychographicsValues and

Lifestyles (VALS)

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT of ADS

ads as a commercial art form

writers and artistsscripts, storyboards,

graphics, music, images

PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES in ADVERTISING

Conventional Persuasive Strategies

famous-person testimonial

plain-folks pitchsnob-appeal approachbandwagon effecthidden-fear appealirritation advertising

The ASSOCIATION Principle

to associate a product with a cultural value or image that has a positive connotation

opposite principle: the DISSOCIATION strategy

MYTH ANALYSIS

Myth analysis provides insights into how ads “tell stories” that are important to our society

Common mythical elements

ads as mini-NARRATIVES, with characters, settings and plots

plots involve CONFLICT between characters or social values

conflicts are negotiated or RESOLVED by using or purchasing the advertised product

COMMERCIAL SPEECH and the REGULATION of ADVERTISING

Does the First Amendment apply to commercial speech -- that is, any print or broadcast expression for which a fee is charged?

CRITICAL ISSUES IN ADVERTISING

Children and Advertising

Advertising in SchoolsHealth and

Advertising

Do YOU think there should be regulations placed on advertising?

Who regulates or monitors advertising? Who protects the consumer?

State and federal legislationOversight “watchdog”

agencies Professional organizations

Advertising and the Internet

banner adspaid positive reviews, weighted

search engine resultsaffiliate referrals (links)direct marketing based upon

personal data collected on web sites

ADVERTISING AND DEMOCRACY

What are some major issues in political advertising?

What role does, and should, advertising play in a democratic society?