Effects on Advertising

The average American is exposed to at least three thousand ads every day and will spend three years of his or her life watching television commercials (Kilbourne, 1999). Although some people, especially advertisers, continue to argue that advertising simply reflects the society (Kilbourn, 1999).

Advertising sells more to consumers than just products. It sells hidden images of the product that is being advertised. As the amount of advertising and exposure increase, the influential effects on the public increases. Companies would not spend millions of dollar on advertising if it had little to no effect on the public. Advertising provides a general service of product information, however it is the way that this task is accomplished that makes advertisement questionable.

The images and words that are used in advertising affect the public in a subliminal way, manifesting desires that an individual may not be aware of. Most people say they do not pay attention to ads, however the message of the ad is still received in the subconscious. .

First, in the October 2004 issue of Cosmopolitan there was an ad depicting an African American man advertising Altoids breathe mints. The African American is man dressed in clothes from the era of the seventies, wearing a leather coat, shinny pen stripped pants and a turtle neck shirt. He is wearing gold rings on each hand, a big gold chain around his neck and oval gold sunglasses. The gentleman’s lips were puckered up. The ad read “ONE BAD MOTHERPUCKER” THE CURIOUSLY STRONG SOURS. However, the can of Altoids could barely be seen.

I think the hope-for effect for this Altoid article was to convince the public that Altoid breathe mints would not only give you nice smelling breathe, but the sour taste would make your lips pucker. In my opinion, the actual effects of the ad are negative because it portrays that all African American males have big lips, wear Afros, gold jewelry and dress like a pimps. Consequently, the stereotype image and words for this ad could be found offensive to the African American race.

In addition, the verbiage “motherpucker” is promoting profanity in a subtle way. Consequently, African American men are being stereotyped in a magazine that is read by majority Caucasian people. The actual effects of this article could promote an image that all African American men look like pimps, wear a lot of jewelry, and have big lips.

Second, there was also an ad in Cosmopolitan magazine for Winston cigarettes. This article states “Leave the Bull Behind”, “Nature made it, we just put it in a box”. The hoped-for effects promoted in this ad are to convince the public that it is all right to smoke cigarettes because the tobacco in them comes from the earth and have no additives. I think the company was successful in their endeavors to accomplish the message in the advertisement of Winston Cigarettes. Hoping the public would purchase Winton cigarettes regardless to the warnings and hazards of smoking cigarettes.

Furthermore, the subliminal message in this ad is to influence people that if something is created by the earth, water and sun, than it is sufficient, even if it is hazardous to your health. In addition, the ad shows a couple running on the beach, nude, with the sun setting on the water. This tactic was included to reinforce the wording, which read “Winston cigarettes are made with a blend of 100% tobacco-for naturally smooth taste created by the earth, water and sun.” What is ironic to me, the verbiage written in bold letters on the side of the carton that states “SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, Emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy. Because tobacco is closely related to garden vegetables, flowers, weeds, and poisonous herbs. Common plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, petunias, jimson wood, ground cherries, and nightshade, as well as tobacco, are of the family of plants called Solanaceae. The genus (sub-group of Solanaceae) Nicotiana contains about 100 species, only two of which have been extensively cultivated for use in tobacco products. Of those two, Nicotiana tabacam is the type of tobacco used today in smoking and chewing tobacco and it is the predominant variety of crop tobacco. The active ingredient, and the addictive substance, in tobacco of any form is nicotine (C10H14N2). http:/www.lib.ncsu.edu/archives/exhibits/tobacco

Furthermore, Nicotine is a stimulant and smokers feel that tobacco helps relieve boredom and tiredness and also helps reduce stress and anxiety. The effects are almost immediate but fade quickly, which encourages continual use. Tobacco use has been conclusively linked to health problems including, but not limited to, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, blood clots, cancer, bronchitis, poor circulation and ulcers. Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death