An anthropological look at advertising.

1. Decide and Conquer
An Anthropological Look at
Advertising
TA 2140
Rachel Wayne
March 27, 2014

3. Collier and Ong 2007: 9
purchasing power
manufactured consent
neuroplasticity

4. Advertising was another revolutionary development that
influenced the creation of the consumer. The goal of
advertisers was to aggressively shape consumer desires and
create value in commodities by imbuing them with the power
to transform the consumer into a more desirable person.
(Robbins 2005:17)
government: measure and encourage consumption
museums and entertainment: incorporate brands into their
“text”
colleges and universities: define and train “businesspeople”

5. Problems Solved by
Advertising
therapeutic ethos: “Advertisers capitalized on these
changes by altering the way products were advertised;
rather than emphasizing the nature of the product itself,
they began to emphasize the alleged effects of the
product and its promise of a richer, fuller life” (Robbins
2005: 22).
What has the larger sociopsychological effect:
the advertising or the purchase decision?

6. Problems Solved By
Advertising
What is your least favorite household chore?

9. What is the worst thing that could happen while you’re
under a deadline?

11. What’s the most embarrassing thing that could happen
to you at a party?

14. What Kind of Person Are You?
Coke
Mac OS X / Apple
iPhone / iPad
Target
PlayStation
Pandora
Bing
Star Trek
Cat
Gator
Pepsi
Windows / IBM
Android / Kindle
Wal-Mart
XBOX
Spotify
Google
Star Wars
Dog
Seminole