What Value is There in Studying Advertising?

(Scope of Study)
The scope and significance of advertising is very great or immense. the manufacturers will produce goods that are meant to improve the comforts of consumers. just manufacturing products may not sufficient but the existence of the product must be known to consumer. thereby the consumer is able to know the features of the product and if he satisfies with that he will purchase it. if the consumer do not accept there is a chance to the producer to know the defects of the product and rectify them and re-release the product. by advertisement the market will be expanded. thereby the turnover will be increased. once small is beautiful. now big is beautiful means u produce enmass of goods and release to the international markets and earn profits. hence it requires advertisement. but the product or service must have in herent quality . otherwise no body will purchase the product. hence in the global era advertisement is must. Have you ever gone shopping, bought some item or other and thought - Why have I just bought this? Have you ever imagined that you felt so much better for using a particular brand of product, without being able to explain exactly why, or have you simply walked into a shop and automatically selected a particular brand name, irrespective of such features as price and quantity? Undoubtedly, the answer to such questions should be 'yes' to any individual living in a commercialised world but in reality, the majority would answer with a blatant denial, stemming from an extreme reluctance to admit that he or she has fallen 'victim' to the 'distorted' and 'unrealistic' world of advertising. Whether we turn on the television, switch on the radio, open a magazine, or simply walk down the high street today, publicity in some form or other surrounds us. Many people, including the advertisers themselves, claim that advertising has become one of the most important influences in our lives. But in spite of this view, Dyer argues that much of the population is consciously sceptical of this phenomenon and will deny that they are influenced by such 'lies' and 'idiot triviality' In reality, is the situation as black and white as this? Are advertisements merely an exaggeration of the truth which try to brainwash the reader/viewer? Can people merely dismiss all adverts and remain completely unaffected by them? There can be no definite response to such questions as every individual is unique and will interpret adverts differently, but by studying advertising, one can begin to make a little more sense of the kind of impact advertising has on our society at large. Advertising has two key functions to fulfil: an economic one and an ideological one. The first of these refers to its contribution to the free market economy by representing a wide range of consumer goods to the public. The second function acknowledges the role that advertising plays in manipulating social values and attitudes. Dyer goes as far as to claim that advertising can fulfil the function traditionally met by art and religion, by providing people with stories in which values and ideals are conveyed, which then aid the individual to organise his or her thoughts and make sense of the world. What such a claim is directed at is the fact that people have both material and social needs and because of this, the most influential advertising agencies of today employ both psychologists and sociologists to determine which values and images are most likely to appeal to the audience (Vestergaard 1985:73). This may stand as an answer to why we buy a product we feel we need, but do not actually want, but also implies that we are passive vessels who, from the infiltration of information on a certain product, rush out in a frenzy to buy it. In truth, members of the audience are active participants who bring their own socially created needs to the medium. So, how do advertisements manipulate this? The advertising message can be communicated linguistically or visually, with both co-occurring in certain contexts. Lund (1947) demonstrates that the advertiser has five key tasks to fulfil to achieve success: to attract attention; to arouse interest; to stimulate desire; to create conviction and to get action. An advert therefore has to

stimulate the audience's desire whilst at the same time, passing on truthful information about the product to be sold. That is, the role of advertising becomes a paradoxical one using both fantasy and credulity. One way of achieving this is by use of the 'signification process' whereby a certain product comes to represent a certain context . That is, some of the advert's key characteristics aim to manipulate the audience into believing that by buying a particular product, they are buying into a particular way of living. Take for example the Hermesetas advert. Here, we have a traditional 'feel-good' image of the supposedly perfect couple: young, attractive, overwhelmingly happy and content, nice home - need I continue? What is being said about the actual product itself? Not a great deal. Does this therefore suggest that, perhaps rather crudely, the reader would look at this image and say - 'Hey, if I stop using sugar I'll find myself the perfect partner and live a perfect life?' Of course not. It is misleading to suggest that readers/viewers decipher adverts in a literal manner as factual statements of reality. But, it is true that this advert would appeal to the reader on an emotional level, which would then influence him or her into buying the product. This method of suggesting that a product offers more than its materialism is commonly used in advertisements for beauty products, for example, the Clearasil advert found in a teen magazine. Again, we have a stereotypical image of a pretty teenage girl who, after using Clearasil, has perfect flawless skin. We also have the 'spotty' little sister who gazes admiringly at her icon of a sister, just hoping that one day she too will look the same. Finally, the image is framed as Saturday morning, suggesting that she has cleared her spots just in time to go out on Saturday night - such a stroke of luck - hence suggesting that she has a great social life - all this from using Clearasil. Another example can be found in the Cover Girl advert. Here, we have a face completely unblemished with a perfect healthy glow (notice also the perfect teeth). You too can create such an impact from using their lipstick Of course, if one is to take adverts in such naive and simplistic terms, a negative attitude is sure to arise from a feeling that they are distorting the truth in a malicious manner and trying to brainwash the reader into accepting the ideal. Accepting this viewpoint clearly diminishes any enjoyment which could be had from the adverts. Only a minority of people would take such adverts at face value and would rather accept that the images offer an idyllic impression. What becomes concerning is the fact that many are unaware of the way adverts appeal to our senses and therefore continue to be wary of them. Many consumer advertisements work on a dreamlike level, an idea explored by Berger(1972) who advocates that adverts function on a day-dream basis, by claiming that 'It is this which makes it possible to understand why publicity remains credible. The gap between what publicity actually offers and the future it promises, corresponds with the gap between what the spectator-buyer feels himself to be and what he would like to be'. Adverts are therefore appealing to the sub-conscious, to the realm of the imagination, and aim to arouse our interests and emotions. Dyer argues that their central function is to create desires within the individual that previously did not exist. This I would argue is taking the case a little to the extreme and is giving publicity a little too much power. A more plausible argument is to state that these desires do exist within the individual, and what the advert achieves in doing is to transform them from the unconscious to the conscious. As Berger states, 'the pursuit of individual happiness has been acknowledged as a universal right', with every individual having his or her own utopian vision or ideal, which is picked up on by the advertiser who strives to tap into it. For some, this is interpreted as alarming as it can be seen as a perversion of the truth which distorts the individual's view of his or her real everyday life. Dyer states that one could argue that the utopian imagery offered in adverts prevents the audience from being able to determine their own existence, as they are unaware of the way they are being controlled by consumerism. Some critics have also argued that adverts create false wants and encourage the consumption of products that are totally irrelevant to the fulfilment of genuine human needs. This would then identify the advertiser's role

merely as persuader rather than informer and suggest that because of their distortion of reality, the claims they make can only be interpreted as lies. It is true that advertisers have become less concerned with communicating detailed information with regard to the product itself and are more concerned with drawing on the audience's attitudes and social values, yet this does not mean that the world of advertising is made from a web of deceit. Advertisements are based in reality and do offer essential details about the product being displayed, but are given a fantastical setting. What is being said about the actual product is truthful and is done realistically. It is merely the setting which is exaggerated to offer an idyllic world. This is not made explicit in the advert but is brought to the image by the individual reader/viewer. Advertisers do have in mind a 'preferred reading', but it is entirely up to the individual how they are read. The advertisers merely offer the reader/viewer the opportunity to escape into this fantastical world for a brief number of seconds, whether or not one does, is entirely in the hands of the individual. Advertisements are generally made up of alluring colours, vivid imagery, snappy catchphrases made up of what Leech(1966) refers to as 'disjunctive syntax' , each of which contribute to the dreamlike quality. What they represent is a particular version of reality, a reality distinct from the reader's/viewer's everyday life. They offer us with characters and situations we can identify ourselves with. In the 1930s, F.R.Leavis placed a bitter attack on the media, arguing that advertisements did nothing but control the audience's way of thinking and inculcating 'the choosing of the most immediate pleasures got with the least effort' . This suggests that people stop looking for solutions in their everyday life as they become so engrossed in the fantasies on offer to them. Daniel Boorstin (1963) furthers this argument by suggesting that adverts encourage far-reaching expectations, as real satisfaction cannot be found in the dramatic illusions. Such criticisms fail to identify the fact that the audience are active participants who are able to dismiss that which they find of no importance, and are able to accept what they believe to be in accordance to the values they already have. This is clearly seen by the way that a number of adverts fail to attract an audience and therefore have a short life. Also, one cannot recall every advert ever seen, as only the ones which have meant something to the individual remain in memory. Those which do remain in memory are those which the individual have identified with in some form or other. I would argue that this identification process should not be interpreted in a negative light, but would argue that it aids the individual to make sense of the world and his or her place in it. In every social setting, people need friendship, recognition from others and, perhaps most importantly, a sense of belonging. Being fully aware of the power of adverts and being able to really understand them, they can help fulfil such needs. Advertisers identify our psychological needs and offer a solution to them. Take for example the Horlicks adverts, generally illustrating a woman with a hectic life-style, experiencing one of those days when everything seems to go wrong. When life can seemingly get no worse, she is offered a mug of horlicks to calm and relax her. A situation easily identifiable with by most women, this advert offers a moment of relaxation from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Even though the product is offered as a solution, it is only interpreted as a temporary one, as it would not be taken as suggesting an end to all problems for ever. In this respect, the advert is not a perversion of the truth, but is an image with which one can identify themselves. Just like soap operas, they offer characters and situations with which one identifies and therefore generate a feeling of well-being when all goes well in the advert. This allusion to soap operas is most noticeably seen in the Gold Blend adverts, as the viewer awaits with anticipation for the next stage in the characters' relationship. What I am suggesting is that adverts can act as a means of escapism and can thus be a pleasurable experience. But, some critics would argue that adverts cannot work on the same basis as a soap opera, as the language and images they use clearly demonstrate that they perceive their audience as objects to be targeted rather than as human beings . This idea is exemplified by the suggestion that the language of adverts does not give you the

opportunity to decide whether you want to become a part of what is illustrated, but only gives you the opportunity to decide how to become a part of it . This becomes a reason as to the value which can be derived from studying advertising. By understanding how adverts work, one no longer feels like an object being targeted as the manipulation and persuasion are understood. But, one can argue that advertisements appeal to the negative aspects of our psyche such as fears and anxieties, feelings which we have no real control over. For example, the BSM advert seems to be appealing to the audience's fears. It points to the common mistakes made by the learner driver and, for those who recognise the faults, the advert can offer a sense of hopelessness in that failing is inevitable. An increase in anxiety can arise from the allusion to the cat's lives being taken. On the other hand, the advert can be read on an optimistic level as it asks the reader to confront his or her fears and anxieties, suggesting that although the advert may appeal to our negative emotions, this does not necessarily mean that it has to be perceived in a negative light. If the reader/viewer stops being wary of adverts, he or she can use them to their advantage in overcoming their worries. Still, one can ask what happens to the reader/viewer who feels victimised by the image? For example, the images of femininity in adverts offers only the ideal:beautiful features, perfect complexion, perfect figure etc. Not only this, but most women in the adverts are also in a loving relationship and/or have a successful career. Does this suggest that unless you are beautiful, you cannot possibly be a success? Again, if one interprets these images literally, one is assigning a role of passivity to the audience. Few cosmetic and fashion adverts spell-out the fact that the beauty ideal is based on deceit - do they really need to? Most adverts have too few informative details and are blatantly rich in emotional appeal to offer a literal meaning. Adverts are based in dreams - wouldn't such dreams be dull and gloomy if presented within a balanced and accurate image? Adverts need not illustrate the imperfections of humans; one needs only to step outside into the real world to find these. What harm is there in placing oneself in a utopian context for a few seconds, when one is fully aware of it being a dream? Being made up of fantasy, one cannot condemn adverts for offering the reader/viewer with an unrealistic nowhere land beyond human reach. To suggest that the audience accepts the causal solution literally is a derogatory examination of the human psyche Advertising is based on a subconscious desire for a better world . It offers an idealised future where the frustrations of today can be solved by what is being offered. But, this is not the only role it plays. Adverts become mirror images of contemporary social ideology as they reflect current values and beliefs. They offer an image of society of how it truly is and by means of exaggeration, makes it all the more clear to the less perceptive individual. Adverts are therefore cultural constructs which offer an insight into the world in which we live. For example, an advert for Radox Herbal Bath seen in Woman's Own in 1978, demonstrated a tired housewife surrounded by untidiness with the caption - 'We could make you a joy to come home to' (Vestergaard 1985:80). What this advert suggests is that this product will enable the targeted reader to fulfil her obligatory role of satisfying her husband by making her physically appealing. Derogatory? Demeaning? Are these some of the words that spring to mind? In today's society yes, this advert would be brandished as unacceptable and would create an outcry, but at the time, it was a published advert and was obviously successful as Radox continues to be sold today. Gender ideology is continuously explored in adverts and ties in with the social ideology of the time. In the past, images of women being subjected to a passive role dominated advertisements and were portrayed as the weaker sex, whereas today, most adverts illustrate quite the opposite. For example, the birth of the Fiat Punto adverts demonstrated the female as the dominant partner in the relationship, with her seeking of revenge emphasising both power and control. Such a reversal of sex roles is seen in the way the male body has come to be exploited in adverts, for example, the Diet Coke adverts illustrate a number of high-flying businesswomen leering over a muscular hunk, rather than vice versa.

Other such examples can be taken from female underwear adverts. Take for example the Triumph advert seen in 1969. A completely sexist and degrading advert, giving the female the derogatory role of 'prostitution' and 'sex object', whilst also suggesting that women must wear nice underwear for a man's sake. Compare this to such adverts as the Wonderbra ones of today, with the slogan 'Hello Boys', or today's Triumph adverts with the caption 'If I want a man to see my bra, I'll take him home' OK, they may still consist of a scantily-clad female and perhaps one could interpret the text along the same lines, yet they remain far less offensive than the 1969 representation. Why? Because the women are now in control - they aim to look good not due to some patriarchal restraint, but because they want to - this is the attitude of the 90's female, so this is how the text will be interpreted. Every individual wants to feel good about him- or herself and adverts can help achieve this. They are not to be interpreted as straightforward factual statements, but are to be perceived as symbolic representations. They work as a means of reflecting the attitudes and dreams of the audience and are not to be perceived as 'windows on the world'. With advertising playing such an important role in our society today, and with it being involved in such controversy, it is important to fully understand its implications. This is where the value of studying advertisements lies. People share a distrust in advertising, believing that it deceives the public and forces them into buying products, by making exaggerated claims and suggesting that they can offer more than just their material value. Dyer argues that one of the major criticisms of advertising is that it makes people too materialistic, as it suggests that success in life can only be achieved through the consumption of goods Such a reading of advertisements can only be adopted by those who have a complete inability to analyse the texts. Williamson argues that people are unaware of the underlying structures of adverts and are therefore manipulated by their messages: '...whatever restrictions are made in terms of their verbal content or 'false claims', there is no way of getting at their use of images and symbols'. Studying advertising offers a solution to this. One can become aware of the way the sign is structured. For example, adverts do not simply transmit denotative information, that is, a literal meaning, but also have connotations, referring to meanings beyond the literal reading of the sign, meanings which are introduced by the reader/viewer stemming from existing conventions and codes. One does not have to be fully conscious of the technical jargon of the study of advertising, but an awareness of what kinds of meaning lie behind the alluring images prevents the individual from feeling that he or she is being deceived in some way or another. As I have already mentioned, adverts are framed around our existing social ideology. Ideology is a fundamental construct of human life, as it refers to the human way of thinking. The exploration of ideological messages in adverts offers an insight into human life. Because of this, advertisers play an essential role in determining the values and beliefs held in society. Adverts can therefore help bring to the forefront of our minds attitudes which we may have been unaware existed. For example, if an advert angers or frustrates us, then we can become aware that what we are angry or frustrated about is something which exists in our everyday life. Having the ability to carefully decipher adverts, one can begin to make more sense and gain more meaning from what lies within the images. They become more than something to simply dismiss as contemporary propoganda. Adverts are not there to offend, but to offer pleasure and enjoyment. Advertising offers information about the world in which we live and the way our society is constructed. The way one analyses adverts tells a lot about the kind of person you are. Do you simply want to accept a passive role and merely accept what is on offer at face-value in the advertisement, or do you want to become aware of your thinking processes and strategies, aware of the kinds of attitudes and beliefs you have lurking in the depths of your imagination? I know what my answer would be.