Freud
- Instinctual desire
- Sex, violence and power
- Pleasure principle
- When these are satisfied we become docile
- Incompatible with society
Bernays
- Consumption to satisfy desires
- Social control
- Birth of PR
- Commodities
- Society people
- False Needs
Fordism
- Mass production
- Disposable income
- Increased consumption
- Created competition against other brands
- Brand culture emerges
We were assigned a task in groups to analyse a extract from the John Berger book "Ways of seeing" and relate some of his theory to adverts today. I was in a group with Rinesh, Issy and Lizzy and we had 30 minuetes to analyse a advert, and present for 10 minuetes. We analysed a TV commercial for Dolce and Gabanna as our topic was about glamour and envy.
John suggests that "publicity does not manufacture the dream. All that it does is to propose to each one of us that we are not yet enviable - yet could be". Suggesting that by buying into a product like the Dolce and Gabanna perfume in the advert we will be like the people we look up to and envy because of aspirational lifestyle they appear to have. The advert shows Scarlett Johansson in a press meeting, in a glamorous location, looking sexy and affluent, with these themes pushed to the forefront of the advert it can only leave the consumer envious of what she has.She also states "I only need one thing and thats love" whilst spraying the perfume which suggest that it does not only offer the key to a successful and envious lifestyle but also offers security and commitment which stereotypically women want to obtain.
Everyone has there own personal desires and insecurities that need to be fulfilled and the advert suggests that this is the key to honing them. He also states "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" which suggest that advertising create a false sense of security within their product and that if the consumer buys the product it can only offer a small experience of escapism to fill a void in the consumers life, until they are reinforced by their day-to-day life and working conditions.
I found this session really interesting in looking at and applying consumerism theory to advertising. Making direct links from the theory to what we could see, gave me an insight on how I could make precise links to my essay and when doing future critical analysis work. I find the topic of consumerism really interesting as I think if effects everyone, even more so subconsciously.
Everyone has there own personal desires and insecurities that need to be fulfilled and the advert suggests that this is the key to honing them. He also states "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" which suggest that advertising create a false sense of security within their product and that if the consumer buys the product it can only offer a small experience of escapism to fill a void in the consumers life, until they are reinforced by their day-to-day life and working conditions.
I found this session really interesting in looking at and applying consumerism theory to advertising. Making direct links from the theory to what we could see, gave me an insight on how I could make precise links to my essay and when doing future critical analysis work. I find the topic of consumerism really interesting as I think if effects everyone, even more so subconsciously.
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