Ethical Advertising: Anti-Obama Billboard Images - Essay Example

Lecturer Ethical Advertising: Anti-Obama Billboard images Introduction One of the major problems that can be related to perceiving an image (s) is that there are some messages which tend to be out of bound in meaning and context. There can be instances where the image presented creates controversy and spectacle, depending on the perception that has been retrieved by an individual about the image. As a result, one factor that is prone to be associated with an individual’s perception of an image is likely to be negative, as the individual most of the times is programmed to criticize. These criticisms can therefore lead to problematic notions or judgment, especially when it comes to understanding the image and coming into terms with it. One of the core things that must be understood with advertising is that it is a representation that appeals to the sensibility aspect of an individual and it is intended for popular consumption. Thus, the popular appeal of a certain depiction that is rendered in an advertisement creates a condition of biased, shallow perception. This kind of perception is highly reductive. In this case study, I shall focus on the issue of the image of Obama in an advertisement that has a certain pedigree of racism and political labeling. This discourse shall be explained and engaged further in the succeeding parts of the paper. At the same time, aside from the construction of the image, the impression derived thereof shall be put into account by looking into the formal elements that make up the image. At the same time, there is also a need to clearly assess why the image creates an impression through certain sensibilities, which are political, cultural and sociological in nature and must be discussed in conjunction with the signs that parts of images create for the spectator to gaze. Analysis Looking at the elements of the image, Obama’s image is presented with sickle and hammer, which are embodiments of communism (Empty Suit, “Image”). Another crucial thing to look at the image is the use of the terms “somewhere in Kenya a village is missing its idiot Obama” (Empty Suit, “Image”). Together with the image comes the face of Obama, smiling and wearing formal attire that befits the campaigning needed for the elections. The advertisement has these elements that evoke a totally different level of problematic propositions and discourses of representation. To understand the points to be raised in this paper, there is a need to understand that the context of presidential elections must be duly considered since this defines how the image works and creates a certain standard for judgment. The first thing that must be understood is that the image is highly offensive, given that the signs and symbols that have been incorporated in the advertisement are tantamount to red baiting. The use of the communist symbols is politically offensive, given that Obama did not proclaim himself to be a communist but a democrat. There is a huge difference between the two. The ad is banking on the negative notions that surround the communist symbol to defame Obama, which can have a detrimental effect on his campaign for presidency. Such condition occurs due to the meaning associated with it. Thus, semiotics plays a very vital role in determining what shall constitute the message of the whole image through the interaction of the forms and other visual elements presented. According to Geertz , semiotics is, “Believing, with Max Weber, that man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun, I take culture to be those webs, and the analysis of it to be therefore not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretative one in search of meaning. It is explication I am after, construing social expression on their surface enigmatical” (5). With this phenomenon in mind, it should be made clear that the presentation of the image does not automatically create a uniform response. There will be a volatile condition which will emerge along the line of observation since there is a duality of perception in the images involved: annoyance or offence and joy and satisfaction. The perception involved rests on the fact that there are a political agenda and condition being proposed by the image: publicity in a negative light. An important question to focus on is why? Why was the image portrayed in that manner? With regard to the image it can be termed as an attack on the origin of Obama. This is because of the phrase that was captioned just next to his image. These include the fact that Obama is African American, and oftentimes is labeled as being black. This then responds to the second condition of imbibing and reviving a hard-line racist practice. Thus, there is a blatant personal attack in the ad, which tries to inflict personal damages upon Obama and can derail him in his competitive bid race for the presidency. Another aspect related to the image’s outcome was to jog our minds that despite being just black, Obama’s culture was quite different being that his father was a Kenyan and his mother was from the United States. One must carefully look into the historical context where the blacks have been abused and labeled as lower class citizens in the name of the white supremacy. This dialectics is being established in the advertisement: not implicitly but clearly and explicitly. With such condition, it is undeniable that the image will cause a scandal since the portrayal of Obama with such an image is a black propaganda of some sort. The impact of design practices and technology are contributing factors that can be said to have propagated the manner in which individual’s portray their thoughts. For example, the individual who designed the image had a bitter sense in them and the only way to showcase what they felt of Obama was to make a corrupt image that mocked his culture, his race and his sense of judgment on what he stood for. The individual did not focus on any ethical standards. With the premises and meaning derived from the image, it is undeniable that it is a political propaganda of some sort. The use of the different indicators in the image stresses that Obama is a bad president without even providing a clear and reasonable line of argumentation by those who made the advertisement. Now, the question of ethical practice comes along the line of attack and thought towards the problematic and controversial image given that it is provocative and unjust. It is crucial that the messages posed by the advertisement are deeply embedded in the cultural system given that the history has defined the manner of thinking, which are oftentimes defined by choice that is necessary to be made (Geertz 5). Thus, thinking and choice are always coming in pairs when it comes to making judgments in society. This makes the condition of the image problematic since the image appeals to the sensibility of the white people who are still employing racist judgment in a highly contemporary setting. This detriment is caused by unreasonable positioning and framing of the image by the advertiser without careful consideration of the debacle that shall come along with its presentation, especially for those who are supporters of Obama. One thing that must be taken into account is how the framing of Obama affects the current political discourse. Analytically, the problem can be deemed connected to the ironies in terms of principles of democracy given that freedom is guaranteed, but there is abuse of it, especially when in coming to terms with the issue of expression. The ones who made the advertisement are insensitive to the plight of the minorities of race in America, especially if it is assessed in conjunction with history. This can trigger a debacle in terms of igniting racial hatred, though not as harsh as before but might not befit the running of the American society in the long term. There is a need to be careful about how images are presented since these are embedded in the consciousness. The images supplanted will already have an alleged meaning, which cannot be dispelled instantly but can be evoked upon presentation of images – images that are unconventional in the contemporary setting and political discourse of democracy. Another point to consider is that images must be redesigned to fit the discourse of electoral politics. This is important to have a substance in the discussion of power. The bashing introduced by the advertisement will not be sufficient enough to constitute a healthy debate and discussion about the future of the country. If the advertisement has been more critical in presenting more concrete evidence why Obama should not be voted, then that would be reasonable because there is a certain degree of objectivity coming along that line. If only such a phenomenon is made or done, then the controversy should have been reprimanded, or did not occur at the very start. Thus, ethical considerations in advertising call for a certain degree of sensitivity, responsibility and liability given that certain propositions will not yield the projected or expected results. Things vary. Perceptions vary. These conditions must be taken into account since people have their own sensibilities and upbringing, which are dependent on a certain social condition that defines them. At the same time, ideology becomes one of the crucial interpellator of the images since culture is at stake. If culture becomes the locus of inquiry, then there is a need to assess every representation and presentation made. It can be detrimental or favorable or can pose a certain degree of disjuncture between conflicting mindsets that can affect the society. Keep in mind that differences in upbringing pose problems in terms of reconciliation and cooperation. The advertisements such as this one should not be allowed since it does not promote reasonable engagement of the social issues but creates distances and barriers among people of different cultures. Source: http://www.emptysuit.wordpress.com Conclusion Freedom of speech and choice is part and parcel of the American constitution. Despite all these individual rights that are offered, it is quite sensible if an individual was bitter and mad about Obama or any other person, that they raise their problem in a civilized manner. Use of “Anti-Obama” billboards can be described as a pose or a way to “poke somebody”. As a result, the intention of the billboard raised a lot of criticism in the political arena but despite all that, Obama can be termed as more ethical as he did not insult the individuals who performed the act. Lastly such “anti-Obama” billboards are mere forms of controversial images as they aim on matters such as racism and they are not progressive at all. The impact of technology and current design practices can be termed as one of the tools that have helped ethical practices in images to degrade massively. Tools such as Photoshop can be used to as to manipulate images into a manner that an individual wants. Looking at the image of Obama, clearly he could not have been the real deal posing in the picture. Therefore technology on one hand has hindered ethical practices as some individuals use it as malice. In the end, advertisements must have social relevance and not just mere idiosyncrasy and idiocy since it will not yield beneficial things in the long run. If the ads are able to fulfill such agenda, then people will be more critical and engaging in respect of the issues. That is the power of media, which must not be abused and used to fool people, but should be used to educate them. Bibliography Empty Suit. Another Day in Omerica. Web. Retrieved from: http://www.emptysuit.wordpress.com. Empty Suit. Image. N.d. Web. Retrieved from: http://www.emptysuit.wordpress.com. Geertz, Clifford. Description: Toward and Interpretive Theory of Culture. The Interpretation of Culture. NY: Basic Books, 1973. Print. Reynolds, Emma. Daily Mail. Outrage at anti-Obama billboards calling President a village idiot and showing a child giving him the finger. 31 August 2012. Web. Retrieved from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2196236/Outrage-anti-Obama-billboards-President-village-idiot-child-giving-finger.html Read More