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Running head: READING RESPONSE 6
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Reading response 6
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READING RESPONSE 6
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1. What is Kilbourne`s subject? (Be more Precise than just “advertising.”)
In her article, Kilbourne tries to show the effect of advertisement on consumers. Through her
content, Kilbourne tries to show the level of persuasion of advertisements and the role they play
in convincing a consumer on information about a particular product. Therefore, the subject of the
article is the misconceptions that people usually have on advertisements and the information
being relayed through these advertisements.
2. How is advertising like propaganda?
According to the article, the advertisers of products always want to show us that we are never
influenced by the advertisements that are shown to us. The advertisers will always seem to be
playing with our cynicism. This means that the advertisers see us as conduits that can easily
propagate what they have given to us regardless of whether it is true or not. This means that
advertisements are purely tools that are aimed at carrying away consumers and influencing them
in a way that not even the consumers can understand.
3. What is the nature of the “anti-advertising” ad? What is one of the consequences of
anti-advertising?
In “anti-advertising,” the advertisers want us to believe that we are too smart to be influenced by
advertisements. The advertisers use words or images that show us that we already know about
the product and that there is no need to either read or understand the nature of the product. If the
customer feels that he/she is not influenced in any way by the ad, he/she will have to go to the
market to prove his knowledge ability on the product, a factor that will increase the amount of
sales for the product.
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4. What role does advertising play in our society? How does it promote “the core belief
of American culture”? How is its message different from what that core belief used
to emphasize?
Advertisements have affected the perception of the society towards life challenges.
Advertisements are usually created in a way that challenges in our lives can be fixed
immediately. With an increased number of advertisements on our screens and billboards, the
society has created a perception that the issues facing us can be solved through a quick fix. The
core belief of American culture is that we can always improve our life standards through a twist.
For a long period of time, Americans have held the belief that working hard is the only way that
we can improve our lives. However, the advertisements have created a new perception that we
can transform our lives effortlessly without having to work extra hard. Through such a
perception, most of the Americans have a feeling that they can make it in life, an aspect that has
been grounded in the core belief of American culture. However, advertisements have led to the
creation of a quick fix perception that believes that everything is going to be fine without having
to work hard for it.
5. How does advertising go beyond the target audience? How do we want others to
react to what we have purchased? What are we purchasing with designer-labeled
clothing?
The influence of advertisements has gone beyond the audience that is being targeted and has
reached the people who even cannot afford the product. We will always want other people to be
envious and impressed on what we have already purchased. We are actually purchasing an image
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when we shop for designer-labeled clothing. This is because the image that we have makes us
feel appreciated in the various areas where we socialize.
6. In the second half of the twentieth century, what became advertising`s purpose or
task? How did this purpose change ads?
In the second half of the twentieth century, the purpose of advertising shifted its focus to and
advertisers started producing consumers. Through such a strategy, the advertisers stated using
emotional plots and psychological research in creating advertisements.
7. How does advertising affect language?
Advertisements tend to corrupt the language that we use for communication. Advertisements
have altered the real meaning and truth of events and the ability of individuals to come into
terms with the realities of life.
Part II
Kilbourne states that advertisements are co-opting our ideas and make us feel that we already
know what we are being taught. In the advertisement by Apple on “Think Different,” the
developer of the article brings and describes images of important personalities who have fought
for liberation through time. The background sound describes these individuals as the one who
uplifted the human race and we can never afford to ignore their existence. The advertisement
assimilates our ideas on how human race has changed and urges us to think different. The
advertisement therefore urges the consumers to think different by purchasing a product
manufactured by a company that has been developed by a distinctively different personality.
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References
Saunders, D. K. (1981). Image and reality: The impact of media stereotypes on the group
identity of black adolescents.