Lecture 7: Chronologies 5: Advertising

• In recent days, advertising has been seen in a rather negative light by most people 
• Advertising is often considered as a tool used by capitalism to change established values within society
• It is considered influential in changing our perception and what we may need and want, it takes our human feelings and in a way turns it around against us (Eg, Capitalism), effective advertisements are normally able to create a strong emotional reaction from its target audience
• There is no short term effect specific to any product, it tends to modify/affect/influence us over a long period of time, even if we don't realize it
• Barbara Kruger was considered a Feminist Conceptual Artist, people are not who they are by how they think as an individual, but what they own
• Old advertisements were often accused of their sexist portrayals, especially of the fairer sex, and are evidently offensive in this day and age 
• Dolce and Gabbana takes advantage of effective photography and daring portrayals of gender roles  (There are always going to be different opinions on any commercial no matter what, such as the "objectifying of the men" or "women"
• A well known question, does sex actually sell in the commercial realm?
• Diesel 2010 took that approach when they were selling their jeans, by sexualizing their images
• It is a simple concept of showing an attractive (Especially sexual ones) image to target audience and drawing them in, same goes for Tom Ford Cologne for Men (Beer and football game advertisements also come to mind)
• If everything we have seen so far has been negative, or perceived as such, what's good about advertising then? Of course not, there maybe some negatives, but there are most definitely also pros
• It drives global economics, an important cycle that keeps society going 
• It drives creativity, the 1st "wave of creatives" were revolutionaries who were attempting to create a utopia, Eg, Mayakovsky and Rodchenko
• The 2nd "wave" created persuasive communication to fulfill people's dreams, Eg, Paul Rand and William Bernbach
• It is a very powerful form of art, there is still an allowance for self expression. Art feeds advertising and vice versa, there really isn't one without the other I suppose (Other areas of art, be it fine art, graphic design, animation, etc come into interaction with this area)
• Andy Warhol's art particularly came off as a form of advertising for Campbell soup
• It shapes popular culture, the iPod silhouette advertisements has had a pretty strong influence on society especially, positively it does not actually distinguish gender or races, but depicts how everyone enjoys music
• Coca-Cola in a way shaped the image of Christmas, by using familiar colors and figures
• It can definitely be entertaining
• It can also enlighten and inspire (Such as creating awareness of things that we sometimes never realized were that outrageous)
• It reflects values, hope and dreams (Eg, Beijing olympics)
• It challenges you to do something (Eg, Sports ads)
• It questions social norms and attitudes (Eg, United Colors of Benetton, in a way brought up interracial issues, which of course caused some controversy)
• It raises social awareness (Eg, Fur is Dead)
• Advertising actually makes you think when done right, it can make a difference in the most positive sense
• So is advertising a form of prostitution? Naaah...