You Can Be Just Like Us! If You Want...

The concept that advertisements influence us is nothing new to the general educated public. However, does one ever stop to think about the way we influence advertisements? Advertising aims to do one thing, sell a product but most of all sell a lifestyle--the lifestyle we secretly desire. There is no doubt in my mind that the second any girl, or boy for that matter, that opens a VOGUE magazine and sees a group of six foot tall bombshells lounging by the pool covered in tanning oil with an outfit worth a whopping $7,000 beside a perfectly tan and fit European looking man, they secretly would absolutely LOVE to be in their $800 shoes. Advertisers create these images because deep inside everyone would like to live that way. We shape advertisements just as much, or more, as the advertisements shape us.
In class on Wednesday we analyzed some ads and they way that they were trying to speak to its consumers. What do ads say? Is it just a picture or does is contain a message within what is being shown? Advertisements are full of signs, full of messages that we subconciously take in shaping out ideologies of life and that certain brand. Brands prosper by their marketing the message that each product or advertisements represents, in turn shapes the way people treat that brand. While watching some TV show last night, I came across an unfortunate ad-the Old Navy mannequins. I wonder if Old Navy personally wishes to destroy their name through these ads. Personally, if I see i pair of jeans or a blouse on a talking mannequin it doesn't seem to do the same effect as other high end couture advertisements would.


After seeing that ad, my desires of buying an Old Navy outfit plummet from a 9 to a negative 2. This clothes has to be appealing off of your body in order for you to develop the desire to try it on yours. Although these Prada models might give that Hocus Pocus feel, I would much rather try these products that the ones displayed on the previous ads. The product looks more sophisticated, edgier, and more high end-it is more appealing to the eye as first glance because advertisers know the second we look at this ad, we will feel this way.