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Mahnoor Malik
English 1301
Professor Rochelle Gregory
18 October 2012
An Examination of Two Cultural Myths through Specific Advertisements
In today’s American society, advertisements are considered one of the leading factors
that help facilitate consumerism, and therefore are a determinant towards the outcome of our
nation’s economy. For masses, they are a source of amusement and tend to dominate almost
every magazine as well as numerous electronic gadgets, television being the utmost of all.
However, their worldwide presence has appealed to consumers that their desire for happiness,
prosperity, sex appeal, and the wellbeing of our society can only be acquired through
consumption. These cultural myths or false concepts create an urge among consumers to
purchase goods that are unwanted, but their portrayal as a source of “satisfaction and happiness,”
intrigues our society to invest their earning into such lavish and invaluable products. Similar
thoughts are presented in “The Consumer Culture” when Betsy Taylor notes: “The idea that you
can buy fulfillment is repeated constantly in the media, like background noise” (qtd. Masci
1003). In other words, advertisements are a constant source of reminder that our nation’s desire
for contentment, sex appeal, and comfort can only be purchased through materialism.
Countless magazines target specific audiences as they incorporate within them, various
culture myths that if believed, will ultimately lead us into becoming the ideal “American man” or
the ideal “American woman.” Such advertisements exhibit attractive men in branded attire
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surrounded with breath-taking sceneries, charming and blissful ladies carrying costly handbags
or products that will benefit our surroundings; all implying that one’s desire for prosperity,
glamour, cheerfulness, and the wellbeing of society is attainable with consumption and acquiring
materialistic wealth. As a result, this conception plays a fundamental role in shaping many lives
of Americans today, as they pursue this tradition of consumerism being the only factor leading to
happiness, sexual attractiveness and the betterment of our community. Therefore, in this paper, I
will identify two cultural myths, and discuss how a specific audience is schemed in
advertisements for Ralph Lauren and Dolce and Gabbana.
Businesses and Corporation are concerned for the Public Welfare
One common cultural myth credited by many citizens today, proposes the idea that many
large companies are concerned for the public welfare. Numerous magazines circulated
worldwide target adult men and women as they integrate within them, advertisements for
perfumes, clothes, and other goods that, if purchased, will help businesses and corporations
support many causes including the nationwide fight against cancer. This myth or “false or
superstitious idea” as Francis Davis, a critic for advertisements, denotes in her article “Creating
the Myths of Our Time,” helps create an emotional appeal among consumers, forcing them to
affiliate with the advertisement as they have now believed that consumption is for a better cause
(Davis np). One advertisement in particular entitled “Ralph Lauren: Pink Pony” exhibited in The
Wall Street Journal Magazine demonstrates a pitch-dark background and displayed on it is a
Ralph Lauren’s logo (polo) in pink color right at the center, signifying their “worldwide initiative
in the fight against cancer.” The bottom half is supported with emotive text that shows sheer
concern for cancer patients and the wellbeing of our society as it illustrates, “Our mission is
to…ensure that treatment is available at an earlier, more curable stage,” so that consumers have
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the utmost urge to buy Pink Pony products as ten percent of what they will pay benefits the Pink
Pony fund established for cancer patients. Such advertisements immediately appeal to our desire
that one may assist their nation through consumerism as it leads to a better purpose.
As we critique this advertisement for Ralph Lauren, one contributes to the idea that such
advertisements appeal to our desire for the goodwill of our society through emotional appeal and
having materialistic values. Their portrayal of large corporations as they are “concerned for
public welfare” urges numerous consumers to purchase products that are additional to their
needs. Consequently, through this culture myth Ralph Lauren and many other corporations’
desire consumerism that would ultimately lead towards more consumption and increased sales.
An article from Curvy Girl Guide states: “Go forth and donate, but more than ever, be a
conscientious consumer. The cure could depend on it.” However, many citizens refuse to
recognize the associated culture myth behind these advertisements and proceed to purchase
goods thinking that such consumerism is for the betterment of our community.
Happiness, satisfaction, and sex appeal are attainable from consumption
While mass number of advertisements collaborated in The Wall Street Journal Magazine
project both adult men and women in order to convince them, that large companies are
concerned for the public welfare, some only seek to arouse amusement among targeted women
persuading them through the cultural myth that their desire for contentment, sex appeal, and
fulfillment are imminent-and available with the next consumer purchase. Such materialistic
concept urges women to invest their finances towards invaluable products as they have now
believed that consumption is the only road to happiness. Jean Kilbourne, in her article “Jesus is a
Brand of Jeans,” provides similar criticism while stating, “The story that advertising tells is that
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the way to be happy…is through the consumption of material objects” (6). In other words,
masses have come to acknowledge that consumerism is the only connection that will provide
them with fulfillment, attraction, and blissfulness. Furthermore, many women tend to disregard
the irrelevance of purchasing merchandise from branded corporations, but because they offer the
“good life” they experience the need to possess such lavish products. One advertisement in
particular for Dolce and Gabbana integrated in The WSJ illustrates a tall, flirtatious woman
around her 30’s carrying a gaudy handbag and wearing an elegant white dress, as she exhibits
gratification; both advertising for Dolce and Gabbana. Her contentment arises as she gazes back
to a trail of five adult men, all in formal attire, showing unconditional enthusiasm towards her as
they (specifically) observe her leather purse and appealing attire; all implying that women’s
internal desire for sex appeal, prosperity, and satisfaction are accessible through materialistic
possession.
Examining the false concept or culture myth presented to us that worldly possessions are
the only source of happiness and attraction is vital to this discussion as many adult women are
urged to purchase such invaluable products in advertisement particularly for Dolce and Gabbana
collaborated by the WSJ magazine. According to the General Advertising Rate Card of 2012 for
the Wall Street Journal, it states, “With a global audience of 3.5 million, 74% take action as a
result of journal advertising,” proposing the idea that masses are negatively influenced in today’s
society through WSJ advertisements. Such advertisements like D&G appeal to consumers, in this
case adult females, that happiness and sex appeal are attainable through consumption and
purchasing lavish products, whereas in reality they only serve to provide mere pleasure, not an
everlasting content. Furthermore, acquiring pleasure through materialistic possessions hurts
consumers’ finances as many branded corporations sell goods that are excessively costly. For
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example, according to Barneys New York, a departmental store, D&G’s “Daisy Lace Dress”
alone costs $1545, while the handbag costs another $1,284 as stated in Farfetch, one of the
world’s renowned boutiques, contributing to the idea that it is absurd to purchase good so
expensive just so one can acquire “happiness and sex appeal.” However, adult females still
experience the need to purchase such extravagant products portrayed in advertisements, not
precisely taking into consideration that such consumerism is not a source of everlasting
happiness, or satisfaction, or sex appeal, but a fundamental factor that dissipates one’s earning
while only offering a temporary contentment.
Conclusion:
Mass number of advertisements in today’s American society, serve as an extensive
contributing factor towards the outcome of our nation’s economy. Integrated in numerous
magazines, they deliver the idea into the minds of many Americans that their desire for
happiness, comfort, sexual attraction and the good will of our society are all attainable through
consumption or acquiring materialistic values. However, in reality consuming products
especially those that are lavish and costly, as seen in the advertisement for Dolce and Gabbana
only seek to provide pleasure, not an everlasting happiness or satisfaction. In addition, many
other large corporations try to sell their goods through an emotional appeal that they are
concerned for the good will of the society. However, such businesses only aspire to increase
sales, consequently gaining large profits. Through such cultural myths, advertisements aim to
increase consumerism and develop the idea into our minds that worldly possessions are the only
source of contentment, satisfaction and the wellbeing of our society.
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Works Cited
Dolce and Gabbana. Advertisement. The Wall Street Journal Magazine Sept. 2012: 32. Print.
Kilbourne, Jean. "Jesus Is a Brand of Jeans." New Internationalist 1 Sept. 2006: n. pag. Web. 4
Dec. 2012.
Masci, David. The Consumer Culture. Rep. CQ Press, 19 Nov. 1999. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
Ralph Lauren: Pink Pony. Advertisement. The Wall Street Journal Magazine Sept. 2012: 62.
Print.
"General Advertising Rate Card 2012." Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 2012.
Web. 4 Dec. 2012.