Advertisement- Louis Vuitton - Essay Example

Advertisement- Louis Vuitton Introduction Advertising has become an integral part of the modern faceof the business industry. It is considered almost impossible to promote a service or product without this aspect. Advertising points out the differences among products and convinces customers about their need of that specific commodity. The need for that commodity might not even exist but the advertisements have the power to make products seem very important and thus influence the consumers to purchase it. Nowadays, advertising accumulates a great portion of the expenses of any company since expensive and extensive campaigns are carried out. Alongside the benefits of advertising, it has taken a different toll and has started causing a negative impact on the lifestyle of individuals. Advertising has created the want for attention among individuals and has promoted materialism to a great extent. 2. Impacts of Advertising Advertising has integrated deeply in the business field and no company feels positively about its survival without it. Advertising has become a major source of revenue for companies as they have transformed their products into nothing less than sacred possessions and status symbols. A Louis Vuitton advertisement has been chosen to analyze the current trends of advertising in the modern world; the advertisement displays an attractive girl who poses a Louis Vuitton bag on a sports model, shiny, purple car. 2.1 Attention Seeking Attitude The first impression perceived by the viewer would be that the beholder of the bag will look very stylish and the bag will win them attention from others. The consumer might not have the necessary resources to purchase the purse but will make it his/her aim to acquire it. Consumers feel that they can get the attention of their peers if they possess such products. Rather than seeking attention on the basis of their personality and good deeds, consumers start focusing on the advertised accessories to attain a prominent position in the society. Such advertisements make people conscious about their attire, accessories, shoes etc and might make them spend more than their resources. Spending beyond one’s pocket makes an individual get into different kinds of debts. In other words, advertisements are promoting the idea of not being true to one’s own existence since these objects might not even suit the individual’s character and personality but the perception has successfully been created that the attainment of such branded accessories will make them noticeable and attractive for their peers and the opposite gender. The want for seeking attention from others even makes some consumers prefer the purchase of commodities over their basic needs like rent, utility bills, education funds etc. Rosenberg discussed the experiences of a shopaholic, who admitted that acquiring things became a way for her to feel equivalent with her social circle. The subject had witnessed a limited supply of resources in her childhood because of which she always felt inferior to her friends and found herself in a constant struggle to appear equal to them. This childhood struggle has left her with the want for possessions to prove her equivalent status to the people in her life. Rosenberg stated that “Buying things--the right things--later became a way for her to attain a sense of parity” (1). 2.2 Materialism It would not be wrong to term the current times as the technological era. The progression in the media field is also due to technology. Both, media and technology, have played a prominent role in the gradual shift in the styles of living and spending. Both of these mediums bombard the viewer with advertisements throughout the day. The constant viewership of advertisements (like the chosen one) creates a false perception of a happy and good quality life. The chosen advertisement shows a brand new sports model car in the background; a viewer with an old and used car will start fantasizing about the attainment of a new and beautiful car even though he wouldn’t have the resources to fulfill his dream. The people who would own such cars would be considered worthy by him. This creates materialistic attitudes within people since they start judging the other man’s worth with respect to his possessions and valuables. Belk (1984) defined materialism as the tendency to consider the ownership of objects as means of content and fulfillment in life. The character, personality, gestures etc cease to bear any value for materialistic people. Not only adults, advertising also targets the younger generation by attracting them towards brands for example Hannah Montana, Barbie etc. The introduction of brands at such an early age makes them conscious about their possessions from their childhood and eventually steals away their innocence. Rosenberg included a theory in her article regarding the effects of shopping on children. She stated that the children with low self-esteem tend to fancy shopping and possession of things more than children with higher self-esteem. 2.3 Negative Impact on Lives The model that is used in the chosen advertisement is far from a real life, common individual since she is almost perfect looking with a perfect body wearing an expensive designer dress. The excess viewing of such advertisements creates the perception that one should look like those models to achieve a good status in the society and that image starts being linked to happiness and success. The desire to look like the models in the advertisements makes some individuals start repelling food and become victims of anorexia. Such advertisements induce dissatisfaction in the lives of the people who might be less privileged and make them dream of a fantasy life that can only be attained by the ownership of expensive accessories. There still exists lot of poverty in the world and advertising promotes the concept of spending more on oneself to maintain a respectable position in the society. People join the race of purchasing brands to satisfy themselves rather than helping the poor to attain basic necessities of life. Advertising promotes the concept of shopping excessively without thinking about the less fortunate in the society. Rosenberg gave an example of a shopaholic who once spent hefty money on a bag; the bag cost around as much as the SUV. When she began getting praised for the bag, she realized that the whole idea of spending so much money on possessions was not a humanitarian act. Rosenberg quoted the lady in her article, “And second of all, there are so many better uses for the money. The whole thing started making me sick" (1). This amount of money might have become the means for some poor family to take care of their household expenditures for a whole month. Such self centered lifestyles also promote several levels of status and classes in the society since the spirit of helping people financially gradually fades away. 3. Conclusion The Louis Vuitton advertisement has been chosen since it is similar to the numerous advertisements that have been prevailing in different mediums since many years. Advertisements portray a lifestyle that few can achieve in the real world. The abundant viewing of advertisements that promote expensive accessories, cars, clothes etc makes the masses believe that the possession of such things will achieve them a prominent position in the society. Advertisements induce dissatisfaction with one’s life and make people occupied in a constant state of struggle to achieve the life that is advertised in the media, internet, publications etc. They start feeling that the attainment of such objects will win them the attention of their peers and opposite gender. Advertisements have invaded almost all mediums of communication; the constant interaction with such campaigns induces materialism in the society. People start judging the worth of others with respect to their possessions. The models that are used in advertisements leave a negative effect on their viewers since they start aspiring to look like them. This desire might lead to probable dangerous health conditions like anorexia etc. References Belk, Russell W. "Three Scales to Measure Constructs Related to Materialism”, Advances in Consumer Research, 1984, Vol. 11, 291-297. Rosenberg, Amy. “Field Guide to the Materialist: She's Gotta Have It”, Psychology Today, 2007. Read More