Advertising in Mass Media - Essay Example

12 March Advertising in Mass Media Introduction At face value, one might presume that advertising’s main agenda is to promote the sale of goods and services. Indeed, merchandise selling is a primary goal that individual marketers seek. However, a holistic view of the advertising industry illustrates how advertisements propagate consumer ideology. In mass media, this phenomenon ensures that the culture of consumerism is deeply entrenched in the masses. Advertising solidifies capitalism by redefining values that were needed to feed the mass-production machine. The role of advertising in mass media The power of advertising lies in subtlety and its indirect effects. Unlike other forms of indoctrination; this approach is mild and oblique in its approach. Advertisers do not challenge prevailing values and ideas. They preferred to introduce new terms of fulfillment and satisfaction. The most predominant theme echoed in several advertisements throughout the ages is the superiority of capitalism and consumer culture. Marketers make it appear as though consumer goods are the ultimate solution for contemporary problems. They tend to obscure distinctions between the rich and poor or the lower and the upper class. Several advertisements contain seemingly exclusive products that should be a reserve for the well to do. However, through the phenomenon of mass production, these products can be accessed by any member of society. Marchand describes several instances in which mass media specialists of the 1920s sought to convince buyers that their products would equalize their status (82). A wealthy socialite could afford the finest china or expensive butler, but they still enjoyed the same brand of coffee that typical citizens bought. Alternatively, a marketer might claim that their soap could make women’s hands just as soft as their favorite socialite. In society today, advertisers use celebrities to endorse their products, and make them seem accessible to the common man. These media bodies illustrate that consumer products accord similar comforts to all members of society and thus endorse the status quo. The subtle message behind such advertisers is to obscure the economic inequalities inherent in any capitalist society. If consumers heed to these ideas, they will learn to accept their place in the existing social order. Revolts against the elite or other similar controllers of wealth would be unnecessary if people of all walks of life could enjoy similar things. Furthermore, political leaders would not need to organize a massive wealth redistribution program since the electorate was already satisfied with their station in life (Marchand, 84). It should be noted that mass media companies do not achieve these results intentionally. Most times, they simply want to push products by using the most persuasive method available. For instance, they understand that Americans often crave for exclusivity, so media companies may use this need to get their attention. The wealthy have always fascinated other types of people. Advertisers attempt to demystify the rich in order to fulfill this fascination. In the industrial era, one seller claimed that no professional was immune from athletes’ foot, even if they owned a railroad or two (Marchand, 83). This author called such an effect the democracy of goods. Even though the wealthy were dazzling to look at, they still relied on the same things that everyone else did. In the end, the things that truly brought satisfaction and comfort were identical; elites and non elites were at a level playing field. Therefore, capitalists did not consciously liaise with mass media companies to push their social or economic ideology. Advertisers simply wanted the same thing that producers wanted; to sell goods. However, the approach they used ended up replicating the status quo, and thus cementing social or economic divisions within society. Mass media is used by producers to expand their market base. Many sellers do not care about their ability to deliver on the promises that they make in their advertisers. It is of little concern that standards of living in the country fall much lower than the ones depicted in cozy homes. Marketers do not look at the bigger picture when making these pledges. For instance, while a brand of coffee may provide refreshment to a certain individual, it still does not change the fact that the individual is living in the projects. Commercialism is rife in western societies today. Individualism is upheld by virtually all consumers of products. The media has played a critical role in culturally reproducing this ideology. Without it, it would be quite difficult to convince audiences why they need to purchase the latest sports utility vehicle or a new line of cosmetics. Advertisements often make associations between certain values and their products. Coke goes by the slogan “open happiness” while Chanel No. 5 perfume is the “secret to romance”. These bold associations to happiness, success, and fulfillment are not new and have been in existence since the advent of advertisement. Extolling competition and individualism works in favor of producers as it encourages greater sales. The public may relentlessly purchase these items in the hope of enjoying those associations alluded in the adverts (Nesbitt-Larking 171). Consumer culture has several deficiencies, which create problems that replace the same ones they were meant to create. If people focused on these shortfalls, they would tamper their expenditure on consumer goods and thus hurt mass producers. It would be in capitalists’ best interest for buyers to find solutions to these problems, so as to minimize discontentment in the group. Advertising in mass media has played a role in mainstreaming consumer ideology by offering solutions towards the phenomenon. Technology and consumerism has created a range of psychological and physical problems that are unique to the modern man. Work-related stress was virtually unheard of in the pre-industrial area. Constipation and dental problems are now common physical conditions because of the dietary changes that have come with modernity. Sellers have harnessed these problems and turned them into opportunities to sell even more consumer goods; they no longer offer laxatives or vitamin tablets in order to keep constipation at bay. Cigarettes have been marketed as the ultimate stress reliever while claims have been made about how Wrigley’s chewing gum fights off dental caries (Marchand, 87). Advertisers have chosen not to keep away from the problems that their products create. Instead, they prefer to acknowledge these challenges of modern living. Mass media companies may make reference to natural products and define natural ways of life as superior. However, this superiority is only narrowly defined; society must sacrifice natural living for progress. Consumer society cannot turn back to purely natural ways as technology does not allow it. However, some products can provide a coping mechanism to victims of civilization (Marchand, 88). In essence, advertisers cleverly juxtapose today’s perilous consumer culture against the simpler ways of the past. They do not call for a radical return to history, but offer minor adjustments to cushion man from these challenges. As a result, they still preserve the status quo and foster even greater dependence on consumer goods. Perhaps another way in which one can understand the creation of media texts is through the cultural reproduction of roles in society. These may be related to gender, race, sexual orientation or other similar traits. Mass media recreates roles that contribute towards stereotypes in society. More often than not, men may appear macho-like and extremely tough. Nesbitt-Larking (173) explains that this could be due to the disappearance of tough manual jobs. Therefore, the public is allowed to at least aspire towards these qualities. Women on the other hand have been used time and time again as ornamentation. Continual exposure to these stereotypes has caused several individuals to simply accept them as they are. Some have even become oblivious to them. The issue of stereotype-perpetuation is curious especially in consumer ideology. An observer would wonder what the media has to gain when churning out these stereotypes. Nesbitt-Larking (174) argues that such images guide consumers on identity and lifestyle. This has direct implications on consumption patterns. A person’s exposure to these ideas affects their identity. Their identity then defines the things they buy. Such rigid gender or race roles thus create predictability for sellers who can always count on certain interpretations when selling their wares. A culturally harmonious group has predictable implications on the nature of things sold. Several advertisements appear to be sexist and racist because they reflect mainstream values. If a media company wants to have a wide audience, it needs to capture ideas that society considers conventional. Dominant ideology works in advertisements because it is what the largest available audience holds dearly. Males tend to be the target audience and their values are often reflected in most commercials. If an organization tries too hard to be inclusive of visible minorities, then it would isolate the largest demographic and lose out on sales. The above tendencies do not imply that advertising companies can simply make blunt racist commercials and still sell. Several advertisements have backfired because their creators were too direct. The power of commercials that work is their subtlety. They make suggestions and implications about certain things without necessarily being flagrant. In fact this need to deflate dominant ideologies is evident in the way audiences welcome certain shows and criticize others. “The Daily Show” by John Stewart seems to parody conventional media. Its host poses as a journalistic outsider who always throws stones at members of the profession (Gray et. al. 92). Therefore, the public is sensitive to media biases, and welcomes opportunities to question these institutions. Those who belong to the minority group are likely to be upset if media players blatantly degrade them. Therefore such media institutions prefer to send their messages cunningly. Anderson and Strate (83) add that sensitivity to cultural differences is imperative in making the media seem objective. They cite the entrance of Kentucky Fried Chicken in India as an example. These authors believe that locals objected to the purveyance of globalization. However, the media failed to play a role in the transmission of this information owing to differences in the way it conveyed this resistance. Advertisements have also influenced the quality of programs and how they operate in mass media. This still has the overall effect of encouraging even greater consumer purchases for a wide range of products. Nesbitt-Larking (175) calls the connection between television, news and advertisements as intertextuality. Messages, icons, values and ideas from all three media platforms have now become intertwined. The news seems like a movie or very interesting program. These reports are just as entertaining as the programs that come before them. Additionally, advertisements slotted in-between regular programming may contain movie starts or other qualities that mimic films. In essence, audiences may not be able to distinguish between messages carried forward in any of these texts. Fashion statements, sounds or any other message being put forward is a platform for the sale of something else. Sales figures for commodities endorsed in any of the media platforms then increase because connections have been made. It is quite difficult for buyers to distinguish between an endorsement they saw in a music video and one that was alluded to in a film. Therefore, marketers have found a way of delivering their consumer ideology through all the mass media channels available to them. Gray et. al. (90) add that the distinction between fake and real news has been dramatically obscured. They make reference to “The Daily Show” which parodies regular news items. The guests of the show often conduct interviews with full knowledge of the nature of program they are engaging in. In fact, several politicians, actors or even journalists have been known to book spots on the show. The host, John Stewart, usually cracks jokes designed to make the interviewees comfortable with the set. However, this does not imply that he does not engage in serious debate. Stewart is always on the lookout for clichés or sweeping statements made by the guests. He expects individuals to give specific examples of policy if they happen to be politicians. The continued success of such a show reveals that mass media organizations may go through any length to capture audiences. Sometimes, this can occur even at the expense of being authentic. The latter lineup is an obvious illustration of the blurring lines between news, regular programming and advertisements. Fictionalized actions have become part of regular news transmission. It appears that mass media organizations are so enthusiastic about expanding their audiences that they will stop at nothing in order to do so. In fact, sometimes uninteresting programs may be sandwiched between tested and proven ones in order to boost ratings. Since advertising is the primary source of income for most mass media companies, it pays for them to have a large audience that they can sell to merchandisers. Nesbitt-Larking (174) affirms that mass media companies are in the business of selling audiences. Their primary consumers are producers of goods and services while the work they do is to channel tastes in order to heighten market share. Therefore, the larger and more convincing an advertising agent is, the greater its influence on the public, and the better the profitability of those companies that work with it. It is for this reason that sometimes individuals can pay huge sums of money in order to measure their audience sizes. Organizations with high ratings tend to charge more for services rendered. The objective of expanding audiences is always a quest that mass media organizations work towards. Sometimes it may come disguised as a psychological or expert-endorsed opinion. Marchand (96) explains that advertisers at the beginning of the twentieth century encouraged family democracy. The term refers to a situation in which children’s opinions and insights are given as must credence as other family members’ opinions. It marked a step away from conventional parenting approaches, which had often been regarded as too aggressive and counterproductive. It should be noted that the beginning of the twentieth century was a particularly useful era to study advertising because this phenomenon was raw and direct. Furthermore, because mass production had just commenced, advertisements at the time could be juxtaposed against pre-industrial media communications thus illustrating the impact of the issue on people’s lives. In this era, advertisers began to encourage most parents to convince their children to do good using their own impulses. These ideas stemmed from child psychologists who believed that manipulation yielded far better results than force. Such an approach was solidified by its prevalence in other industries. Industrial managers and other bureaucratic institutions realized that authoritarian coercion was a thing of the past. It was more effective for employers to coerce people into doing good. A new ethic of fun morality was now being taught to mothers. Advertisements for cereals often told mother to refrain from scolding their children into eating vegetables. Instead, they encouraged them to spend more time with them and offer them cereals. Several media companies, therefore, placed the products they advertised right in the middle of the parenting process. They placed the responsibility for caring for children solely on parents. These organizations made mothers feel guilty in the event that a conflict arose in the home because they claimed that their products would pacify the children and thus minimize conflict. Advertisers were opportunistic in this regard because they took child psychology to another level. Experts acknowledged the possibility of conflict, yet media companies made it seem like a failure on the parent’s part. These institutions used advertising messages in order to widen their consumer gap (Marchnd, 100). They were distinctly aware that if children had greater say in their homes, then they would become a considerable part of the mass-consumption market. It was in their best interest to endorse such child-oriented family values. At the heart of all advertisements is the need to persuade and manipulate. Advertising agencies and media companies work towards creating anxious, individualistic and possessive people. Capitalists heavily rely on consumption for survival. Therefore, they require a platform that will expose, train and encourage more people to consume; advertising fits that description. However, sometimes the resources accorded to the target audience may not be sufficient to purchase products. Therefore, the credit system was created in order to provide a bridge for this. Nesbitt-Larking (174) defines the credit system as a method of coping. Through advertisements, mass media has overwhelmed consumers such that they are forced to buy items in order to survive. People who do not tow the consumption line tend to feel alienated and fearful. Many of them may become vilified by their peers. Since the media is capable of eliciting such responses from the public, then it can be said that it has succeeded in the quest to create audiences who depend on consumerism for their identity. Media houses are commercial institutions. They are driven by most of the same issues that affect other commercial entities. First, they have limited resources with which to prepare their items. Therefore, they cannot leave things to chance when making such decisions. Additionally, they also operate in political and social environments that affect them directly. However because they must appeal to the widest audience range, then they must choose the lowest common denominator. Racial and gender biases are thus a consequence of prevailing social and political thought. The media, however, differs from other methods of capital control because the media does not own audiences. Its power over them stems from its capacity to persuade and convince. Advertising is thus a key component of success in these areas. Conclusion Advertising in media houses is much more than a source of commercial value. It is a mechanism for propagation of consumerism in society. Advertisements teach the public how to become dependent on products by creating an individualistic mindset. Those who fail to heed the message face isolation and ridicule from peers. Media houses usually select messages that reflect mainstream values of race and gender in order to appeal to the most available audience. They also prefer to merge advertisements with regular television programs and news in order to blur the line between ideas, icons and messages. Overall, consumers end up being schooled on lifestyle and preference. Media houses may engage in ideological propagation, but may not do this in concert with capitalists. The two entities simply have similar objectives, which happen to be continually perpetuated through current advertising approaches. Works Cited Anderson, Robin and Lance Strate. Critical Studies in media commercialism. Oxford: OUP, 2000. Print. Gray, Jonathan, Jones Jeffrey and Ethan Thompson. Satire TV: Politics and comedy in the Post Network Era. NY: NYU Press, 2009. Print. Marchand, Roland. Advertising the American dream: Making way for modernity. California: University of California Press. 1986. Print. Nesbitt-Larking, Paul. Politics, Society, and the Media. 2nd ed.Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009. 151-204. Print. Read More