The initial question which was asked at the beginning of the lecture was "is advertising prostitution"
This is because the advertising industry typically has a lot of negative connotations, this is because it tends to be linked with the idea of capitalism. It is often used as a tool by capitalism to change established views within society. Advertising is also considered manipulative in changing our perception in what we may need or want.
Advertising doesn't make short term affects to an audience, they usually create a brand identity and modify us over a longer period of time to want to buy a particular product, because we buy into the brand rather than the product itself.
Barbara Kruger is a conceptual artist which creates simplistic type with shocking sentences that make the audience think, this piece in particular shows how materialistic how society has become. A lot of her work is based on feminism, advertising is/ has been known to be sexist towards women but quite recently these roles have been changed and both men and women can/ are now exploited within advertising. This means that advertising is accused to explore sexism by treating people as cultural stereotypes of their own sex.
These images show how in the past (50s) women were exploited due to capitalism, and now men are also exploited- therefore both men and women are stereotyped by their sex.
Advertising is known for cleverly connecting products and brands towards our wants and needs. Maslow's hierarchy of need is a diagram that explains human wants and advertising does tend to focus on the idea that a particular product will give you certain things to improve yourself and your own life. The first two sections (physiological and safety) are needs that are met naturally by being alive- however advertising concentrates on the other three which include; love/belonging (friendship, family, sexual intimacy), esteem (confidence, respect) and also self actualisation (creativity, morality). These wants are considered to be used by the advertising industry to make the consumer feel that by buying a particular product they are also improving themselves.
"Then again does sex actually sell?"
This advertisement plays on the fact that advertising is known to use sex as a form of selling products, many advertisements directed at men often use images of women with little clothing, however this advert uses both sexes and exploits them. These type of adverts are usually aimed at young adults and play on the genetics of human nature to sell clothing.
However not everything about advertising is negative:
- Advertising drives economy (consumption, sales) this ensures that money is earned and spent and therefore money is being spent.
- It drives creativity: first wave of creatives wanted to create "utopia" (is a community or society possessing highly desirable or perfect qualities.) The second created persuasive communication to fulfil peoples dreams.
- It is a very powerful form of art, art feeds advertising and vice versa.
Rene Magritte's artwork was used for the Volkswagen advert in which is shows the attention to detail within design of their cars. Art can also be a form of advertising on its own, for example pop artist Andy Warhol made campbell's soup incredibly popular due to artwork.
- Advertising shapes popular culture (apple- iPod)
Another form of advertising shaping popular culture is coca cola and their transformation of the representation of "father christmas" or "santa", they changed him to be slightly larger and to wear red, this also transformed their brand identity as a whole and now the majority of society consider this to be the representation of father christmas.
- It is endlessly entertaining (film trailers for example)
- It can enlighten or inspire
Advertisements much like these contain shock tactics to create a change of perception and attitudes, this isn't manipulation much like selling products but it is created to change something negative and receive a reaction to raise awareness or raise money.
- It reflects values, hopes and dreams.
- Challenges you to do something (nike just do it advert).
- Questions social norms and attitudes.
- Raises social awareness.
Therefore after this lecture I am now more aware of the fact that advertising can be both positive and negative, it is vitally important for many things in our materialistic lifestyles but also important in our everyday lives too, it can make a difference is a highly effective and powerful artful tool.
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