Within the last decade, many essays have been written about advertising and the
effect it has on the public. Some critics state that advertising has little or no affect, while
others state that these scams are hazardous to our health.
Jeffery Schrank, a former high school teacher and media observer, argues in his
essay “the Language of Advertising Claims”, that people are unaware of the power of
persuasion advertisers possess. Schrank claims that even if people are emphatically
denying to be influenced by ads, the art of advertising is more than skin deep and affects
the subconscious. Schrank suggests that instead of being consciously oblivious to ads and
their messages, people should understand what is really being stated instead of getting
caught by their “psychological hooks”, (153). One way Schrank describes to avoid these
hooks, is by learning the language of the advertising claim. Schrank states that in trying
to sell products in which many of the brands are identical, certain words are used to make
the customer think that their product is superior. Some samples of claims that Schrank
gave were the “weasel claim” (155), the “unfinished claim” (155), and the “endorsement
claim” (157).
Harold Edwards in his essay, “The Dour Critics of Advertising” argues that
people are not as easily persuaded by adwriters as some advertising critics say they are.
Edwards writes that people are not given enough credit for being able to see through
advertisements. Edwards goes onto describe that some critics want the Federal Trade
Commission to protect people against the persuasive language of advertising. Edwards
says that adwriters are not the only ones who use persuasive language to brainwash
people; so do the government politicians and newspaper columnists. Edwards also argue
that the art of persuaision has been a part of history dating back to the Greeks.
Edwards goes on to say that the advertising critics lack a sense of humor and are
unable to enjoy the absurdity, color, and noise of the “literature of commerce” (167). He
also explains that what it boils down to is that the critics just do not like the free market.
Robert L. Heilbroner, a practicing economist in government and business,
discusses in his essay, “Advertising as Agitprop: Puncturing the Myths about Hype”, how
advertising influences our values. Heilbroner argues that advertising doesn’t sell the
product, but sells the idea of the product. Heilbroner goes on to describe advertising as
both a “mirror and a lens” (175). The mirror reflects the values held bky society, and the
lens some what distort and change them to meet the expectation of our fantasies.
Heilbroner states that advertising is a perfect example of American capitalism.
In my opinion, advertising is not a source that is responsible for shaping our
American values. Values ae social principles, goals, or standards accepted by a society
during a certain time period. Society itself, is responsible for what it creates, good or bad;
not the art of adwriting. Ads just reflect back to us what America’s ideologiues are at that
time. I feel that advertising isn’t the problem, but the ideologies and standards Americans
set are.
All the beautiful models you see in ads are what we consider to be the “All
American Beauties”. Who set the standards that beauty means thin, tall, and blond?
Society, not ads. Why do ads concerning alcohol appeal to the teenagers of today instead
of ads concerning herbal teas? Society says it’s “cool” to brink alcohol instead of herbal
tea. I feel that advertising causes no threat to us, but we are a threat to ourselves.
The ad I have chosen to analyze is an Absolut Vodka ad. The logo stated
underneath the bottle reads, “absolute Standard”. The way the ad writers want it to read,
is “absolutely the best quality.” The bottle of vodka has been colored gold to portray to
society that this is “the winner,” the best there is”. The bottle of Absolut Vodka is in a
spotlight on a stage. This technique suggests that “this” vodka “sets the stage” for good
times. Thus, if you choose Absolut Vodka, you will always have good times. The writers
of this ad are appealing to the American values of the times. The writers of this ad are
appealing to the American values of the eighties’. The social “weather” of today has
become one of power, money, and the strive for success. The “weather” affects each of u;
how we think, feel, and react.