Effects On Advertising
...his or her life watching television commercials (Kilbourne, 1999). Although some people, especially advertisers, continue to argue that advertising simply reflects the society (Kilbourn, 1999).
Advertising sells more to consumers than just products. It sells hidden images of the product that is being advertised. As the amount of advertising and exposure increase, the influential effects on the public increases. Companies would not spend millions of dollar on advertising if it had little to no effect on the public. Advertising provides a general service of product information, however it is the way that this task is accomplished that makes advertisement questionable.
The images and words that are used in advertising affect the public in a subliminal way, manifesting desires that an individual may not be aware of. Most people say they do not pay attention to ads, however the message of the ad is still received in the subconscious. .
First, in the October 2004 issue of Cosmopolitan there was an ad depicting an African American man advertising Altoids breathe mints. The African American is man dressed in clothes from the era of the seventies, wearing a leather coat, shinny pen stripped pants and a turtle neck shirt. He is wearing gold rings on each hand, a big gold chain around his neck and oval gold sunglasses. The gentleman's lips were puckered up. The ad read "ONE BAD MOTHERPUCKER" THE CURIOUSLY STRONG SOURS. However, the can of Altoids could barely be seen.
I think the hope-for effect for this Altoid article was to convince the public that Altoid breathe mints would not only give you nice smelling breathe, but the sour taste would make your lips pucker. In my opinion, the actual effects of the ad are negative because it portrays that all African American males have big lips, wear Afros, gold jewelry and dress like a pimps. Consequently,...
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