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Controversies in Contemporary Advertising
Controversies in Contemporary Advertising is a new text presenting a range of perspectives on advertising. It examines economic, political, social, and ethical perspectives and covers a number of topics including stereotyping, controversial products, consumer culture, and new technology. The book is divided equally between macro and micro issues, providing a balanced portrait of the role advertising has in society today. Author Kim Bartel Sheehan's work recognizes the plurality of opinions towards advertising, allowing the reader to form and analyze their own judgments. It encourages readers to obtain a critical perspective on advertising issues. Controversies in Contemporary Advertising is ideally suited as a core text for undergraduate and graduate courses in advertising, marketing, journalism, mass communication, and communication studies.
344 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2003
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December 29, 2024Read for class so it counts
January 30, 2025
(The English review is placed beneath the Russian one)
С точки зрения маркетинга, книга бессмысленная, ибо её цель – критика современной рекламы как таковой. Проблема в том, что даже предложить нормальную критику у этой книги не получается. Если какому-то читателю действительно интересна данная тема, то тогда я бы порекомендовал книгу «Десять заповедей рекламы» (And Now a Few Words From Me: Advertising's Leading Critic Lays Down the Law, Once and For All) в которой содержится интересная и ценная информация по данному вопросу. Что касается рассматриваемой книги, то она очень и очень слабая именно в плане критики современной рекламы.
Так же мне трудно согласится с такими утверждениями автора, которые я представлю ниже именно из-за недостатка доказательной базы.
As we stated earlier, passive consumers can be manipulated, whereas active consumers can be persuaded. Put another way, if you think consumers are passive, you believe that advertising can make people do things. If you believe consumers are active, you believe that people do things with advertising
Мне кажется, автор поверила в идею, что некоторыми покупателями определённая реклама может манипулировать из-за чего автор попыталась воплотить данную идею, как в теорию, так и в практику, однако существенных доказательств я в книге на этот счёт не встретил. Про очень многую рекламу можно сказать, что она манипулирует потребителем, однако если бы в действительности такая реклама бы существовала бы все коммерческие и даже некоммерческие фирмы создавали бы именно такую рекламу. Но ничего подобного нет. Реклама существует самая разная в том смысле, что нет даже намёка на некий один паттерн, который бы повторялся бы и был бы заметен во всех коммерческих рекламах.
Today, however, critics are increasingly concerned about the types of persuasive messages that “slip in under the radar”—that is, those that consumers do not register as being traditional advertisements. Instead, persuasive messages can be presented in ways that have been described as “sneaky” or “subliminal.”
Some people believe that advertising works subliminally; that is, advertising places a message under an individual’s margin of consciousness. In turn, messages can create some level of anxiety that can be relieved only by purchasing a product or service to address the anxiety. This product or service is presumably one we would not normally buy (Twitchell, 1996). As we discussed in Chapter 2, the myth of subliminal advertising has been in existence since the 1950s and persists to this day.
<…>
First, many critics still believe in the idea of the passive consumer. As discussed earlier, passive consumers believe that they are powerless against advertising.
<…>
Additionally, the phenomenon known as the third-person effect may come into play. The third-person effect states that although individuals believe that they are active consumers and processors of information, they will say they know others who have been affected by the subliminal strength of advertising.
Зачем в своей книге о критике рекламы автор столько времени уделяет этому мифу, сказать трудно. В какой-то момент мне даже показалось, что у автора нет точной и ясной позиции по данному вопросу.
Advertorials are problematic for some because of the intentional blurring of the advertising and editorial lines (Singer, 1991). Sometimes these sections are clearly labeled as advertorials, but other times, they are not. Although the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) encourages magazines to label advertorials as such, there is no specific regulation that compels print media to do so. Readers may misinterpret advertorials as editorial content, which may create higher credibility for the message.
Хотя такая проблема и существует, но опять же об этом говорится в любом учебнике по маркетингу.
В итоге, книгу прочесть можно, но практического смысла в этом нет никакого.
From a marketing point of view, the book is pointless, for its purpose is to criticize modern advertising as such. The problem is that this book fails even to offer a normal critique. If any reader is really interested in this topic, then I would recommend the book And Now a Few Words From Me: Advertising's Leading Critic Lays Down the Law, Once and For All which contains interesting and valuable information on the subject. As for the book in question, it is very, very weak in terms of criticism of modern advertising.
I also find it difficult to agree with the author's assertions, which I will present below, precisely because of the lack of evidence.
As we stated earlier, passive consumers can be manipulated, whereas active consumers can be persuaded. Put another way, if you think consumers are passive, you believe that advertising can make people do things. If you believe consumers are active, you believe that people do things with advertising.
It seems to me that the author believed in the idea that certain advertisements can manipulate some customers, so the author tried to realize this idea both in theory and in practice, but I did not find substantial evidence for this in the book. A lot of advertising can be described as manipulative, but if such advertising did exist, all commercial and even non-commercial firms would be creating this type of advertising. But there is nothing like that. There is a wide variety of advertising in the sense that there is not even a hint of a single pattern that would be repeated and noticeable in all commercial advertising.
Today, however, critics are increasingly concerned about the types of persuasive messages that “slip in under the radar”—that is, those that consumers do not register as being traditional advertisements. Instead, persuasive messages can be presented in ways that have been described as “sneaky” or “subliminal.”
Some people believe that advertising works subliminally; that is, advertising places a message under an individual’s margin of consciousness. In turn, messages can create some level of anxiety that can be relieved only by purchasing a product or service to address the anxiety. This product or service is presumably one we would not normally buy (Twitchell, 1996). As we discussed in Chapter 2, the myth of subliminal advertising has been in existence since the 1950s and persists to this day.
<…>
First, many critics still believe in the idea of the passive consumer. As discussed earlier, passive consumers believe that they are powerless against advertising.
<…>
Additionally, the phenomenon known as the third-person effect may come into play. The third-person effect states that although individuals believe that they are active consumers and processors of information, they will say they know others who have been affected by the subliminal strength of advertising.
Why the author devotes so much time to this myth in his book on criticism of advertising is hard to say. At one point it even seemed to me that the author did not have a precise and clear position on this issue.
Advertorials are problematic for some because of the intentional blurring of the advertising and editorial lines (Singer, 1991). Sometimes these sections are clearly labeled as advertorials, but other times, they are not. Although the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) encourages magazines to label advertorials as such, there is no specific regulation that compels print media to do so. Readers may misinterpret advertorials as editorial content, which may create higher credibility for the message.
Although there is such a problem, again it is mentioned in any marketing textbook.
As a result, you can read the book, but there is no practical sense in it.
С точки зрения маркетинга, книга бессмысленная, ибо её цель – критика современной рекламы как таковой. Проблема в том, что даже предложить нормальную критику у этой книги не получается. Если какому-то читателю действительно интересна данная тема, то тогда я бы порекомендовал книгу «Десять заповедей рекламы» (And Now a Few Words From Me: Advertising's Leading Critic Lays Down the Law, Once and For All) в которой содержится интересная и ценная информация по данному вопросу. Что касается рассматриваемой книги, то она очень и очень слабая именно в плане критики современной рекламы.
Так же мне трудно согласится с такими утверждениями автора, которые я представлю ниже именно из-за недостатка доказательной базы.
As we stated earlier, passive consumers can be manipulated, whereas active consumers can be persuaded. Put another way, if you think consumers are passive, you believe that advertising can make people do things. If you believe consumers are active, you believe that people do things with advertising
Мне кажется, автор поверила в идею, что некоторыми покупателями определённая реклама может манипулировать из-за чего автор попыталась воплотить данную идею, как в теорию, так и в практику, однако существенных доказательств я в книге на этот счёт не встретил. Про очень многую рекламу можно сказать, что она манипулирует потребителем, однако если бы в действительности такая реклама бы существовала бы все коммерческие и даже некоммерческие фирмы создавали бы именно такую рекламу. Но ничего подобного нет. Реклама существует самая разная в том смысле, что нет даже намёка на некий один паттерн, который бы повторялся бы и был бы заметен во всех коммерческих рекламах.
Today, however, critics are increasingly concerned about the types of persuasive messages that “slip in under the radar”—that is, those that consumers do not register as being traditional advertisements. Instead, persuasive messages can be presented in ways that have been described as “sneaky” or “subliminal.”
Some people believe that advertising works subliminally; that is, advertising places a message under an individual’s margin of consciousness. In turn, messages can create some level of anxiety that can be relieved only by purchasing a product or service to address the anxiety. This product or service is presumably one we would not normally buy (Twitchell, 1996). As we discussed in Chapter 2, the myth of subliminal advertising has been in existence since the 1950s and persists to this day.
<…>
First, many critics still believe in the idea of the passive consumer. As discussed earlier, passive consumers believe that they are powerless against advertising.
<…>
Additionally, the phenomenon known as the third-person effect may come into play. The third-person effect states that although individuals believe that they are active consumers and processors of information, they will say they know others who have been affected by the subliminal strength of advertising.
Зачем в своей книге о критике рекламы автор столько времени уделяет этому мифу, сказать трудно. В какой-то момент мне даже показалось, что у автора нет точной и ясной позиции по данному вопросу.
Advertorials are problematic for some because of the intentional blurring of the advertising and editorial lines (Singer, 1991). Sometimes these sections are clearly labeled as advertorials, but other times, they are not. Although the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) encourages magazines to label advertorials as such, there is no specific regulation that compels print media to do so. Readers may misinterpret advertorials as editorial content, which may create higher credibility for the message.
Хотя такая проблема и существует, но опять же об этом говорится в любом учебнике по маркетингу.
В итоге, книгу прочесть можно, но практического смысла в этом нет никакого.
From a marketing point of view, the book is pointless, for its purpose is to criticize modern advertising as such. The problem is that this book fails even to offer a normal critique. If any reader is really interested in this topic, then I would recommend the book And Now a Few Words From Me: Advertising's Leading Critic Lays Down the Law, Once and For All which contains interesting and valuable information on the subject. As for the book in question, it is very, very weak in terms of criticism of modern advertising.
I also find it difficult to agree with the author's assertions, which I will present below, precisely because of the lack of evidence.
As we stated earlier, passive consumers can be manipulated, whereas active consumers can be persuaded. Put another way, if you think consumers are passive, you believe that advertising can make people do things. If you believe consumers are active, you believe that people do things with advertising.
It seems to me that the author believed in the idea that certain advertisements can manipulate some customers, so the author tried to realize this idea both in theory and in practice, but I did not find substantial evidence for this in the book. A lot of advertising can be described as manipulative, but if such advertising did exist, all commercial and even non-commercial firms would be creating this type of advertising. But there is nothing like that. There is a wide variety of advertising in the sense that there is not even a hint of a single pattern that would be repeated and noticeable in all commercial advertising.
Today, however, critics are increasingly concerned about the types of persuasive messages that “slip in under the radar”—that is, those that consumers do not register as being traditional advertisements. Instead, persuasive messages can be presented in ways that have been described as “sneaky” or “subliminal.”
Some people believe that advertising works subliminally; that is, advertising places a message under an individual’s margin of consciousness. In turn, messages can create some level of anxiety that can be relieved only by purchasing a product or service to address the anxiety. This product or service is presumably one we would not normally buy (Twitchell, 1996). As we discussed in Chapter 2, the myth of subliminal advertising has been in existence since the 1950s and persists to this day.
<…>
First, many critics still believe in the idea of the passive consumer. As discussed earlier, passive consumers believe that they are powerless against advertising.
<…>
Additionally, the phenomenon known as the third-person effect may come into play. The third-person effect states that although individuals believe that they are active consumers and processors of information, they will say they know others who have been affected by the subliminal strength of advertising.
Why the author devotes so much time to this myth in his book on criticism of advertising is hard to say. At one point it even seemed to me that the author did not have a precise and clear position on this issue.
Advertorials are problematic for some because of the intentional blurring of the advertising and editorial lines (Singer, 1991). Sometimes these sections are clearly labeled as advertorials, but other times, they are not. Although the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) encourages magazines to label advertorials as such, there is no specific regulation that compels print media to do so. Readers may misinterpret advertorials as editorial content, which may create higher credibility for the message.
Although there is such a problem, again it is mentioned in any marketing textbook.
As a result, you can read the book, but there is no practical sense in it.
April 9, 2019
There was a 0% chance I'd go into advertising before taking this class, and there's still a 0% chance I'll go into advertising. But this text and class were interesting from a consumer vantage as well. There sure is lots of terrible advertising out there. Hopefully there will be another edition of this text, since social media does seem to be forcing marketing to evolve at a brisk pace.
May 17, 2021
Great textbook on the ethics of advertising. It really breaks up certain areas that someone within the industry needs to be aware of. Really enjoyed the topics that are in this book and also attending classes about the ethics involved within advertising. Highly recommend this to those who may be unclear on what would be considered ethical and unethical. Great foundational information to start learning advertising.
December 15, 2024
i read this front to back for my class so it counts!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews