The media provides many underlying messages to the consumer. McLuhan's theory about each medium having its own internal logic and how it affects the overall experience and message of the world can be very much accepted by today's standards.
For example, the Dove body wash commercials have a brunette, Caucasian, thin, light skinned, 25-30 year old woman washing herself in the shower. She has a big smile on her face and the camera zooms up and down her milky, smooth skin. After her shower she steps out and she is instantly bombarded with a handsome, young, muscular male embracing her and touching her on the bed. Plus, there is a narrator stating the ingredients of the body wash and how you should not be afraid to be touched and how much the male will enjoy the silky skin. There are many messages: buy this product and be thin, young, and beautiful; shower with this body wash and you will have hunky men all over you; buy this product because the skin you have now is just not good enough for today's standards. There is a lot of ambiguity and many details which are emphasized and other details which are ignored. A great example of emphasizing details are those birth control aids, either commercial or in print. All the positives are highlighted, there is a young woman smiling, with her friends ready to go out for the evening and all the harmful side effects are quickly blurted out at the end of the commercial, barely even heard. As well as print adds the happy woman using the specific birth control is zoomed in while the tiny print at the bottom states all the risks and the precautions of the prescription.
Advertisements and messages are being sent to millions of homes around the globe whether we want them to or not.
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Hey chubbyhub:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I enjoyed it so much, as I am someone who is constantly in critique and conversation with the messages of media. It’s fascinating! Side note: If you get a chance, and you’re interested in this topic (and haven’t taken it already), may I recommend COMM 169I-The Media, Response & Criticism course to you. Your response, specifically your comments about the harmful affect of some birth controls being an afterthought of the product promotion, completely reminded me of the new Kotex Tampon commercials (thanks for hanging in with me on this one ;) ): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRf35wCmzWw
In order to gain consumers for their brand, their marketing plan created a “mocking” of typical Tampon commercials and “feminine hygiene” products that often disregard all the AWFUL experiences of “that time of the month,” replacing them with, “Now you can FINALLY do yoga” or “Sit on a window ledge and sip your FAVORITE cup of tea!” Personally, I think some of this “angle” for these companies is to demystify, for men, the “fear” of women and their menstrual cycle and to show men, “See! You can purchase these for your girlfriend, sister, wife, etc. It’s not so bad!” Anything to push the product on the consumer, eh?
(: gunnerisfunner
I really liked to read your post this week and also the comment left by Ms. Gunner. I totally agree with both of you, some commercials out there really are ridiculous and unrealistic. Also you were talking about a Dove commercial and how it has a skinny woman in the shower that gets the guy after, which really sends the wrong message especially because Dove is such a strong supporter of "Dove really beauty campaign"
ReplyDeleteYou should watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U