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fandomhigh2013-01-25 01:37 am
thefearwasreal) wrote in fandomhigh2013-01-25 01:37 am
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Pop Culture: Everything I Ever Needed To Know I Learnt From... [Thurs, 1st Period]
Rather than pages upon pages of notes, today Oz was passing stacks of magazines around the class.
"Today, children, we're going to be talking about advertisement and the consumer culture," he began. "The theoretical concept of the consumer culture was developed by the Marxists and the Frankfurt School, it ties into their big old hateboner for capitalism. Basically the idea is that in order to sell goods beyond what is actually needed by consumers, businesses will use advertising to create false needs within the populace, workers will then be so busy trying to earn enough income to buy these goods they don't actually need that they won't notice they're being exploited."
"Now whether you agree entirely with this bunch of commies, which I don't necessarily, because hey, I like buying things," Oz really liked buying things. "It's still important for you guys to recognise when someone's trying to sell you something, especially nowadays where you can't turn your head without coming across advertisement of some kind."
"There are 'new and improved' advertising techniques coming out every week it seems, so I'll just talk some of the big ones that are relevant to the exercise you guys are going to be doing in a minute. First there's branding, which is a way of consistently packaging your company or product, so that when people hear your company name or see your logo, or even just the particular shades of colour used in them, they will think of your product, and hopefully think positive things about them. Think that their goods are the best possible example of that that good you can buy."
"Positive associations are a very big thing in advertising, they want you to think their product will somehow make your life better, or if they get a celebrity to endorse them, buying the product will make you more like the celebrity. It will make you cooler. Spoiler, it probably won't. Sex. That's another biggie. If you buy their product women, and for the rare savvy ad, men, will want to sleep with you. They won't be able to help themselves."
"Now, while these are mostly selling you a bill of goods, and are occasionally creepy, like those roofie deodorant ads," Oz said, making a face. "They are all basically selling their product as adding value to your life, giving you something extra, they help show things a person in the society is supposed to aspire to. Ads which set up negative associations, are far more insidious. These will tell you that there is something missing from your life without their product. If you do not buy this product you are less of a person, you will never be happy, or sexy, or loved, or any of a thousand little insecurities you might have. They help to show what the 'societal norm' is supposed to be, and make you feel bad if that's not you."
"But that's enough talking, it's not like I love the sound of my own voice." Oz did actually. "Time for something more fun. Now, you've all got a magazine? I want you all to have a look through your magazine, and find a couple of ads that strike your interest. Then I want you to tell the class what's being advertised, how it's being advertised, who you think is being advertised to, and what you think the people who made the ad think about the people who they're selling to. These are all from different decades and countries so even if they're advertising the same product they'll be doing it differently."
"Today, children, we're going to be talking about advertisement and the consumer culture," he began. "The theoretical concept of the consumer culture was developed by the Marxists and the Frankfurt School, it ties into their big old hateboner for capitalism. Basically the idea is that in order to sell goods beyond what is actually needed by consumers, businesses will use advertising to create false needs within the populace, workers will then be so busy trying to earn enough income to buy these goods they don't actually need that they won't notice they're being exploited."
"Now whether you agree entirely with this bunch of commies, which I don't necessarily, because hey, I like buying things," Oz really liked buying things. "It's still important for you guys to recognise when someone's trying to sell you something, especially nowadays where you can't turn your head without coming across advertisement of some kind."
"There are 'new and improved' advertising techniques coming out every week it seems, so I'll just talk some of the big ones that are relevant to the exercise you guys are going to be doing in a minute. First there's branding, which is a way of consistently packaging your company or product, so that when people hear your company name or see your logo, or even just the particular shades of colour used in them, they will think of your product, and hopefully think positive things about them. Think that their goods are the best possible example of that that good you can buy."
"Positive associations are a very big thing in advertising, they want you to think their product will somehow make your life better, or if they get a celebrity to endorse them, buying the product will make you more like the celebrity. It will make you cooler. Spoiler, it probably won't. Sex. That's another biggie. If you buy their product women, and for the rare savvy ad, men, will want to sleep with you. They won't be able to help themselves."
"Now, while these are mostly selling you a bill of goods, and are occasionally creepy, like those roofie deodorant ads," Oz said, making a face. "They are all basically selling their product as adding value to your life, giving you something extra, they help show things a person in the society is supposed to aspire to. Ads which set up negative associations, are far more insidious. These will tell you that there is something missing from your life without their product. If you do not buy this product you are less of a person, you will never be happy, or sexy, or loved, or any of a thousand little insecurities you might have. They help to show what the 'societal norm' is supposed to be, and make you feel bad if that's not you."
"But that's enough talking, it's not like I love the sound of my own voice." Oz did actually. "Time for something more fun. Now, you've all got a magazine? I want you all to have a look through your magazine, and find a couple of ads that strike your interest. Then I want you to tell the class what's being advertised, how it's being advertised, who you think is being advertised to, and what you think the people who made the ad think about the people who they're selling to. These are all from different decades and countries so even if they're advertising the same product they'll be doing it differently."