5 Big Ideas of Advertising

The part of chapter 8 that focused on advertising was a portion I greatly enjoyed. Advertising is something we see around us each and every day. It affects our lifestyles whether we are willing to admit it or not - somewhere along the line some form of advertisement has persuaded you to buy or view something. Here are what I believed to be the 5 big ideas of this chapter:

1. The first idea that stood out to me was product affinity. This, in reality, is the main purpose of advertising. The idea is to get the public's acceptance on a product or message - to have them form a relationship with it as well as the people who feel similarly. With this symmetry comes the pull to make a purchase or take an action. It allows for a strong band of loyal followers to be generated; it makes the audience feel as if they belong.

2. Another topic that caught my attention was when it was speaking about how advertisers capture their audiences. They do this in a number of different ways. For example, one of the most important factors for advertisers is how to "speak directly" to their individual audiences and their desires. It is said in this chapter that people often build up who they are based on what they buy and what surrounds them - it is up to advertisers to unlock this "code" and figure out how to touch upon these hidden desires. They attempt to make advertisements as personal as possible in some situations in order to garner the attention that is required. Another way advertisers build their audiences is through the use of sexual imagery. These advertisements push the limits of culture and often draw in universal appeal. They can be used in a number of different ways that are irrelevant to the subject of sex - such as cultural issues (ex. PETA ad shown in textbook).

3. The idea of narrowcasting is definitely another important one. In today's society, it is incredibly difficult for advertisers to gather their target audiences and truly reach them. By generating more specific messages, they can speak to smaller audiences and provide them will all necessary information. This makes it easier for a connection to be made between consumer and product.

4. Product placement or product integration is something I have been familiar with for quite some time. It is something that not many people notice if generated correctly. Some shows are more subtle in their approaches, but still get it done. With product placement, certain products are mixed into the entertainment - it is being advertised but not in an "in your face" kind of way. This chapter talked about the fact that there are two reasons product placements has become so important over the years. For one, the price of generating television shows has increased tremendously, prompting companies to seek alternate forms of revenue. Secondly, the number of people watching shows on the Internet and DVR - without commercials - has also grown; with product placement, companies are gaining the advertisements that might be necessary for their continued success.

5. Finally, the section that focused on how commercial advertising influences the public was one I found to be of importance. I recently wrote a paper on how movies influence culture, and this section pointed out some of the same ideas. Children are the ones most influenced by what they see. They believe things a lot easier and have a lesser sense of reality than adults. Critics constantly argue the negative way advertising projects the "perfect" women - people are made to believe that in order to be beautiful, it is necessary to look like the people on TV. While meant to sell a product or message, advertisements often give off the wrong one; although not intended, it is an unfortunate occurrence that cannot really be altered.