Sunday, November 28, 2010

"You can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements".- Norman Douglas

I read this quote by Norman Douglas today and got to thinking. What do advertisements in our U.S. culture say? What do they entice us to buy? To strive for? To desire?
Close your eyes and think of the first advertisement that comes to your mind, What is the product it advertises? What makes you remember it? Does it make you want something? If you look deeply, what is the product in the advertisement promising you? Youth? Strength? Success? 

7 comments:

  1. Kensinger, P.2
    I think advertisements in our U.S. culture say that we care predominantly about ourselves. They often entice us to buy products that give us a sense superiority to those who do not have them. They cause use to desire and strive for perfection. The first advertisement that comes to mind is one including products to do with aesthetics (skin care, hair, workout/exercise, etc.). What causes me to remember it is the idea that is thrown into society by tv shows, movies, and especially commercials that can be seen or heard all day long: The idea that you must do whatever you can do look good and push for perfection. These adds usually make the viewer want the product in the hope that they can be "perfect" or close to it, if they use it. I think those types of products try to promise all of it: youth, strength, and success. Do they actually obtain those things for the consumer? Probably not, but that doesn't stop people from buying them.

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  2. Chancellor Ramirez P3

    The advertisement above tells people who look at it that our nation is full of athletes. And that we the people always have the roman picture of the ideal image of a human being. Basically everyone wants to be fit and in shape. also the Nike quote "JUst Do it" is telling people to just go for it and dont hold back.

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  3. Nick Philo P5

    The first advertisements that come to mind are the e trade baby commercials. i remember these commercials because of the humor that is used in them. i think it shows other countries that we have a sense of humor. these commercials promise success in the economic aspect of life.

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  4. A.J. Smith P1

    The Nike advertisement above is stating that there are no limits/boundaries to what you can do. By its slogan "Just Do It", it is telling people to do something without thinking about it. But it's not just Nike doing this. Practically every company has a slogan that gets its buyers to buy more of their products. Even if it might sound weird, these slogans make it easier for people to buy that company's product, whatever it may be.

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  5. Thomas Molnar Period 1
    Today advertisements entice us to strive for victory and to achieve the best possible. Ads want us to buy the newest and best product released so that we, in turn, will also become the best. For example, the new iPhone promises its buyers an amazing phone paired with the best network, so they say. The iPhone 4 is said to be the slimmest smart phone around, and being paired with Apple, the iPhone is very popular. The iPhone gives its users the ability to access their email, music, the web, calls, and texts all from the palm of their hand, instantly. We are enticed to buy this for its sophistication and what we will be able to do with it.

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  6. The advertisements in our culture say that we should try to look like certain people since they are "cool." We want to be like these models and stars because the influence many of us even if the influence is negative or positive. They entice us to buy whatever products are showing these "cool" people as because the product has changed their lives, which isn't always the case. It advertises the Nike brand through a skateboarder wo is ripped and looks pretty athletic. This makes us want to by a Nike product to be cool like the skateboarder. The product is promising strength because it coveys the sense that all Nike wearers are strong and have muscles, which isn't the case.

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  7. LAWRENCE SAID, NOT BOB,
    The first advertisement that comes to mind is the McDOnalds logo. This logo is worldwide and to most it means delicous food, but to me it means a business that thrives off of giving people crappy food that tastes good but diminishes their health.

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