GR M10 Module 14: What is Advertising?
“The word ‘advertising’, like ‘commercial art’, makes some graphic designers cringe.
To certain people in the creative industry, it signifies all that sophisticated contemporary graphic design, or rather visual communications, is not supposed to be. Advertising is the tool of capitalis (m that often works as a form of communication that entices
and persuades public to consume. Graphic design, by contrast, is an aesthetic and
philosophical pursuit that communicates ideas. Graphic design is a cultural force that
incorporates parallel world views. Where advertising is quite hypnotically invasive,
graphic design makes no such claim.” (http://designtaxi.com/features.jsp?id=105)
(1)
“Advertising is of the very essence of democracy. An election goes on every minute of
the business day across the counters of hundreds of thousands of stores and shops
where the customers state their preferences and determine which manufacturer and
which product shall be the leader today, and which shall lead tomorrow.” - Bruce
Barton (1955), chairman of BBDO, quoted in James B. Simpson, Contemporary Quotations, 1964, Binghamton, NY: Vail-Ballou Press, p. 82.
“Advertising - a judicious mixture of flattery and threats.”- Northrop Frye, quoted
in Robert I. Fitzhenry, The Fitzhenry & Whiteside Book of Quotations, 1993, Canada:
Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited, p. 18.
“Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long
enough to get money from it.”- Stephen Butler Leacock, quoted in Michael Jackman,
Crown’s Book of Political Quotations, 1982, New York: Crown Publishing Inc., p. 1.
“Advertising is the greatest art form of the twentieth century.” - Marshall McLuhan
(1976), Canadian social scientist (quoted in Robert Andrews, The Routledge Dictionary
of Quotations 1987, p. 5, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul).
“Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.” - George Orwell, quoted
in Angela Partington, The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 1992, New York: Oxford
University Press, p. 501.
Advertising is “[a] ten billion dollar a year misunderstanding with the public.”- Chester
L. Posey, Senior V.P. & Creative Director, McCann Erickson
(2)
“Advertising is, actually, a simple phenomenon in terms of economics. It is merely a
substitute for a personal sales force - an extension, if you will, of the merchant who
cries aloud his wares.” - Rosser Reeves, Reality in Advertising (1986), New York: Alfred
A. Knopf, Inc., p. 145.
“Advertising is the ‘wonder’ in Wonder Bread.” - Jef I. Richards (1995), advertising
professor, The University of Texas at Austin.
(3)
“Advertising is the art and sole of capitalism. It captures a moment of time through the
lens of commerce, reflecting and affecting our lives, making us laugh and cry, while
simultaneously giving traction to the engine that propels this free market economy
forward into the future.”
- Jef I. Richards (2001), Chairman of The University of Texas Advertising Department.
“Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is to make the worse
appear the better.”- George Santayana
“Advertising is legalized lying.” - H.G. Wells, quoted in Michael Jackman, Crown’s Book
of Political Quotations, 1982, New York: Crown Publishing Inc., p. 2.
(4) 54th Cannes Lions 2007 International Advertising Festival Winners:
(1) Category: Household: Cleaning Products
Title: EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
Advertiser/Client: PROCTER & GAMBLE
Product/Service: TIDE COLDWATER WASHING DETERGENT
Entrant Company, City: SAATCHI & SAATCHI, New York
(2) Category: Alcoholic Drinks
Title: BIRDS OF BRITAIN
Advertiser/Client: CARLSBERG
Product/Service: CARLSBERG LAGER
Entrant Company, City: SAATCHI & SAATCHI, London
(5)
(3) Category: Corporate Image
Title: ABUSE
Advertiser/Client: EL SEGUNDO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Product/Service: POLICE DEPARTMENT
Entrant Company, City: TEAM ONE, El Segundo
(4) Category: Commercial Public Services
Title: GRASS
Advertiser/Client: TERRA PORTAL
Product/Service: WEB PARENTAL CONTROL
Entrant Company, City: DDB BRASIL, Sao Paulo
(5) Category: Travel, Transport & Tourism
Title: AUSTRALIA
Advertiser/Client: TRAVEL CORPORATION INDIA
Product/Service: HONEYMOON PACKAGES
Entrant Company, City: GREY WORLDWIDE INDIA, Mumba
(6)
(6) Category: Miscellaneous
Title: MADAM
Advertiser/Client: NESTLE PETCARE
Product/Service: FRISKIES-NIDO BIRD FOOD
Entrant Company, City: DDB ESPANA, Madrid
Exercise: What is Advertising?
1. Which one of the quotes describes advertising most accurately in your opinion?
Please explain using one or more examples.
2. Go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising
use the text as a guide to answer the questions 3-5. Use the hyperlinks and Google
search as well.
3. Is advertising necessary for the economic growth? What advertising clients, other
than the profit-generating corporations frequently spend large sums of money on
advertising? Why do you think some organizations advertise more than the others - for
instance political parties versus public education?
4. What is “false advertising”? What is “perception management”? What are “guerilla
promotions”? What is “product placement”? List and describe examples from your own
experience for each term.
5. What is the significance of Bill Bernbach’s Volkswagen campaign from the 60s?
What role does the Adbusters magazine play in regards to the public perception of
advertising today? How do you see the future of advertising?
6. What separates design from advertisng? How do we separate our design profession
from advertising? Can we separate it? Do we want to?