“Advertising doesn't sell things; all
advertising does is change the way people think or feel' (Jeremy Bullmore).
Evaluate this statement with reference to selected critical theories”
Bullmore (1998) also believed
there were two forms of advertising: ‘1) advertising that people go looking for
and 2) advertising that goes looking for people’. I have decided to look at the
second aspect, as Karl Marx said 'the product becomes a
commodity…it is exchanged for a symbol which represents it as exchange value’(Marx,
1867).
O’Shaughnessy, J, & O’Shaughnessy, raised the point that ‘Persuasion
is becoming more important in advertising. A major reason is that competition
is finding it easier to erode any functional or price advantage attached to the
product’ (O’Shaughnessy, J, &
O’Shaughnessy, 2004, p1). Steward Ewan’s concept of the ‘commodity self’
is brought forward. One does not buy a product based on its function; it is
consumed based on the lifestyle it appears to portray. This is further
emphasized in the Preface of ‘Persuasion in Advertising’: ‘if
the target audiences do not have the ‘right’ perspective, this can be changed –
not by logic but by the offer of a more appealing perspective, by emotional
appeal to their values or by indirect persuasion via rhetoric’ (Cialdini, 1998,
p172).
What better example
could there be than the superficial fragrance market, which thrives on connotations
of glamour, envy and wealth. The sale of the product itself is flawed through
visual advertising, since you cannot ‘see’ a smell.
For this reason, I
have chosen to analyse two Chanel No 5 advertisements. The first was produced
in 1979, just preceding the 80’s, a decade characterised by extravagance.
Thatcher was in power, the ultimate in sexual equality. Women achieved as much as
men, and the income to match. They became equal breadwinners in the household,
and were no longer ‘kept’ at home. This is shown in fashion, and in particular,
the workplace. Women wore tailored suits that not only accentuated their
femininity, but also with padded shoulders, resembled the natural physical form
of men. There was a huge rise in disposable income earned by women, which
perfume companies understood perfectly well. With independence came a rise of self-esteem,
and an increase in the consumption of luxury goods.
The advert, entitled ‘Share
The Fantasy’ (Figure 1), shows high
saturation imagery of a beautiful, empowered woman lying in front of a royal
blue pool. Instantly, we are shown an
object of beauty. This is often shown in advertising, as Cialdini wrote: ‘It is
apparent that good-looking people enjoy an enormous social advantage in our
culture. They are better liked, more persuasive, more frequently helped, and
seen as possessing better personality traits’ (Cialdini, 1998, p172). The second
Chanel No 5 advert, entitled ‘There You are’ (Figure 2) conveys the same message, but through a much more obvious
public figure, Brad Pitt. John Berger agrees with Cialdini: ‘glamour is
supposed to go deeper than looks, but depends on them, utterly’ (Berger, ‘Ways of
Seeing - Advertising, www.youtube.com). Glamour is a recent
phenomenon. In the heyday of oil painting and fine art, this did not exist.
There were ideas of grace and elegance, but these are fundamentally different.
The key difference between glamour and beauty is envy. Berger says in his book ‘The
state of being envied is what constitutes glamour’ (Berger, 1972, p142). So if
we consume these products, people will envy us, therefore making us glamorous.
Consciously, we look at these role models and admire, but subconsciously, we
aspire to be them. We see them as a lifestyle choice we desire, and consumption
of the product as a solution.
Berger states in his
television series ‘envy becomes common in a society that moved towards
democracy, and then stopped half way. Their status is theoretically open to anyone,
but enjoyed only by a few’ (Berger, ‘Ways of Seeing - Advertising, www.youtube.com). We are given an
example of a better life to live, be it lying by a beautiful swimming pool next
to the perfect sexual partner, or being directly spoken to by Brad Pitt. The connotations are similar for the same
product, despite the ads existing in entirely different social and political
contexts, showing that Chanel are reinforcing the same idea, even after roughly
thirty years.
Berger goes on to say ‘things
that publicity sells are in themselves neutral, just objects. And so they have
to be made glamorous, by being inserted into contexts that are exotic enough to
be arresting, but not close enough to us to offer a threat’ (Berger, ‘Ways of
Seeing - Advertising, www.youtube.com). A fragrance only has one practical function; to make you
smell a certain way. Chanel inserts it into a context of a lifestyle that none
of its potential consumers lead, but give us the idea that we could live it. We
do not necessarily feel that our lives will change entirely and we will gain
direct wealth, but we gain aspects of power and envy from our peers. Berger summarises this ‘it proposes to each
of us that we transform ourselves, our lives by buying something more…. it will make us in some way richer-even though
we will be poorer by having spent our money’ (Berger, ‘Ways of
Seeing - Advertising, www.youtube.com).
The product is given a
purpose due to its context, but is still sold without a direct purpose given to
the consumer. Pitt delivers an abstract speech with no explicit meaning. ‘Share
Your Fantasy’ contains the same ambiguity, with the female briefly uttering ‘I
am made of blue sky, and golden light, and I will feel this way forever’,
neither of which states the functional value of the product. This is often used
in advertising, as Farbey wrote: ‘the stimuli we perceive are
often ambiguous. It’s up to us to determine the meaning based on our past experiences,
expectations and needs’ (Farbey, 1998, p19). Essentially, we are still given a
context, but we relate it to our own. We do this through the process of
considering past experiences, and evaluating if the consumption of the product
will benefit our future.
Past experiences are often used
to sell, and these aren’t always necessarily visual. One example is the common
belief that the smell of coffee can help sell a house. Solomon explains this
through an example of ‘Folgers’, a US coffee company: ‘Researchers for Folgers
found that, for many people, the smell of coffee summons up childhood memories
of their mothers cooking breakfast, so the aroma reminds them of home. The
company turned this insight into a commercial in which a young man in an army
uniform arrives home early one morning’(Solomon, 2008, p10). The product is
being sold on the memories it provokes. You are not being sold coffee for its function;
you are sold a nostalgic memory. A website for a property mortgage company even
suggest smell as a selling point ‘there are some very important
things a seller can do to improve the chance that the buyer will be impressed with
what they see . . . and smell’. Coffee is the most recommended of smells, as ‘Coffee
aroma is responsible for all coffee flavour attributes’. Interestingly, they
also recommend ‘a batch of cookies’, or ‘baking bread’ (Bills, 2011, Let Coffee Sell Your Home,
propertymortgageinvestment.com).
Solomon explains, ‘We
process fragrance cues in the limbic system, the most primitive part of the
brain and the place where we experience immediate emotions’ (Solomon, 2008,
p10). So the feelings we experience when a certain smell reaches our nostrils
are innate. There is no way of avoiding a reaction to a smell, be it good or
bad. Marketers have learnt to tap into this, and use certain common past
experiences to trigger a feeling about a product. Obviously the usage of “peel
n’ sniff” perfume samples in magazines promote the smell of the product, but
the above example shows how the smell of one commodity can sell another.
Scent alone can drive the sales
of a product: ‘Mars used scent technology to spread the aroma of chocolate
around its M & M’s World retail outlets, and it put Pedigree dog food –
scented stickers in front of supermarkets and pet stores (presumably to attract
hard-core pet lovers and their furry friends)’ (Solomon, 2008, p10). You could
argue that the products are being sold on their physical qualities. This is
entirely true, since ‘90 per cent’ (Hirsch, 2010, Taste is Actually Smell,
dailyherald.com) of what we taste is smell. However, I am arguing that we
cannot escape this form of marketing influence. A reaction to smell is innate,
and it is human instinct to desire something that holds a certain smell. Visual
marketing and its influence may become apparent and conscious, whereas you can
be influenced by scent and not even know it.
Solomon states ‘Ad
companies spend around $80 million per year on scent marketing: the Scent
Marketing Institute estimates that number will reach more than $500 million by
2016’ (Solomon, 2008, p10). If this much is currently spent on scent marketing,
with it hugely increasing, then it must be successful. The future of its
influence seems alarming, intimidating and something to fear.
Advertising often plays on a
notion of fear in order to attract you towards consumption, as Berger explains,
‘the anxiety on which publicity plays is the fear that having
nothing you will be nothing’ (Berger, ‘Ways of Seeing - Advertising, www.youtube.com).
Berger also explains its
influence on men: ‘it promotes the illusion that a man’s ability to consume is
directly related to his sexual mobility’ (Berger, 1972, p140). Traditionally,
and instinctively, men feel as if they should provide for their family and
household. If they cannot provide the products that their family ‘need’, then
they feel emasculated. Solomon suggests that this ‘need’ can be split into
three categories: ‘need for affiliation’, ‘need for power’ and ‘need for
uniqueness’ (Solomon, 2008, p35).
‘Affiliation’ relates
to a feeling of loneliness. One judge’s others on their commodity self, and
makes a comparison to their own. They feel as if they should match the
commodities of others, or consume the same things in order to bond socially.
‘Power’ is focussed at
men. When the right commodities are not within reach, a male can feel weaker, and
feel as if they have a lack on control. Often these relate to technology and a
constant perpetuation to ‘keep up to date’ with products. Not only do marketers catch onto this, but
also the design of products themselves. Products are increasingly made to have
a ‘planned obsolescence’. Newly marketed products peak in consumption, then
start to break, repair or superseded by a more ‘modern’ version. As this
happens, a new product is introduced, solving the problem of feeling
‘out-dated’.
‘Uniqueness’ serves
the need to assert one’s individual identity. An example of this could be an
old slogan of perfume company ‘Cachet’, which read ‘as individual as you are’ (Figure 3). You are made to believe
that through the process of consumption you are in the process of rebellion. If
you were to buy anything else, you are buying into the same lifestyle as
everyone else, which is consciously considered a bad thing. People who fit into
this category consciously seek others to think higher of them, and tend to be ‘older,
affluent and highly confident’ (Solomon, 2008, p35). Solomon gives the example
of a Subaru commercial that seeks to target role – relaxed customers, a man proclaims,
‘I want a car… Don’t tell me about wood panelling, about winning the respect of
my neighbours. They’re my neighbours. They’re not my heroes’ (Solomon, 2008,
p133). This theory seems to go against the norm of trying to fit in.
Interestingly, this is specific to the Western culture, whereas in a Japanese
society, there is emphasis on “collective well – being and group loyalty over
individuals’ needs” (Solomon, 2008, p35). Nahai also agrees with this ‘people
from collectivist cultures (such as Indian or China) are more likely to rely on
the actions of their peers to inform their decisions than those from a more
individualist country (such as the UK)’ (Nahai, 2012, p174). Role – relaxed
consumers are often in the minority, so marketers tend to only direct them with
certain products.
However, the majority
of us see our lives as lacking in comparison with our peers, and the solution
to be through consumption. Advertising manipulates us into believing that if we
consume, our lives will change for the better. Berger describes this process as
a ‘fear, often the fear of not being desirable, of being unenviable. It suggests
you are inadequate as you are, but it consoles you with a promise of a dream’
(Berger, 1972, p147). We see consumption as a step up of the life we already
exist within. With each purchase, we feel closer to an ideology of a better
life. We never seem to realise that we are stuck in limbo, ‘endlessly deferred’
(Berger, 1972, p147), and through the process of constantly re-evaluating our lives;
we are never fully satisfied with what we have.
Dettol (figure 4) use induced fear to their
consumers in order to sell their products. The commercial begins with ‘Fact.
Some bacteria are almost indestructible. It can even survive in lava. So think
how easily the bacteria in your kitchen can survive’. The image of unrealistic
lava – like bacteria is shown, with sharp Horror film style violin sounds in
the background. Reification is used to show the bacteria almost as a monster.
Then, exactly half way through the advert, we are shown a solution to the
problem that we all apparently face. The music changes, the product appears and
the scene seems to light up.
Having been shown the ‘awful
reality’ in which we live, instantly, we are shown a solution: ‘The purpose of
publicity is to make the spectator marginally dissatisfied with his present way
of life. Not with the way of life of society, but with his own within it. It
suggests that if he buys what it is offering, his life will become better’ (Berger, ‘Ways of Seeing - Advertising, www.youtube.com). Not
only do we see the products usage, but we are also shown a situation where a
mother is seen bonding with her son having provided a safe environment. We are
given the message that if we purchase this commodity that not only will we have
a clean kitchen, but our children will firstly love us, and secondly, be safe
from this ‘deadly’ bacteria. The product has been reified as the ‘hero’ of the
household. You can see this in other cleaning products, famously ‘Mr Muscle’.
Through commodity fetishism we
assume Dettol is safe. The assumption is made that the killing of bacteria will
have a direct correlation to the increase or safety of our health. We see the
product as a way of protecting our children against harmful and deadly
bacteria, but never seem to consider the safety and strength of the product
itself.
Dianthus, an online medical
centre, wrote on their blog ‘we are constantly exposed to bacteria in every
part of our environment, and we have immune systems that are rather good at
dealing with them. If we are to believe that wiping our kitchen surfaces with
antibacterial products such as Dettol will improve our health, and if Dettol
are going to make that claim in their adverts, then we need to see evidence
that it is true’ (Jacobs, 2010, Dettol Protects: Facts or Fiction? , dianthus.co.uk).
Dettol use the word ‘Fact’ instantly at
the start of their advert, which we assume that we can rely on. In reality, ‘No
clinical trials have been done, however; and, Dettol is not approved for this
indication by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’
(Jacobs, 2010, Dettol Protects: Facts or Fiction?, dianthus.co.uk).
Advertising not only creates a false
perception of our needs (‘Dettol kills 99.9 % bacteria’, therefore that’s what
we need), but also masks a way of life we could live with, and be satisfied
with. Commodity fetishism is used to create a false reality where everything is
perfect. This isn’t done just through the promotion of one product, but the
constant reinforcement of branding and advertising that surrounds us. Twenty
five thousand print adverts are produced each year in the UK, and this figure
is growing rapidly. If each of these commodities is promoting a new way of
life, then false reality is produced.
Whilst more and more adverts are
produced, our perception of a perfect life is constantly updated, with our
previous opinions feeling out-dated. Marketing works in a way in which we
forget the past expectations we held of our commodities. This is done so we
struggle to reminisce and compare how much our lives have actually changed.
Both Dettol and Chanel have been
producing the same products for well over half a century, but constantly
reinventing how they are marketed. We are bombarded with new adverts, new
brands, and never reminded of the old, unless it is used as a marketing
strategy to promote the new. Advertising doesn’t sell commodities on their
function; it sells on experiences, anxiety and pressure. As the consumer, we
don’t realise it, and if it were brought forward consciously, then yes, we
would avoid it. But since it’s hidden behind a mask, it does not frustrate us,
and the ignorance doesn’t seem to hurt us. We live in a western world where capitalism
and consumerism work hand in hand. Without consumerism culture we would not be
anywhere near as developed or as rich in our resources, technology or trade.
Visual References:
Figure 1: Director: Ridley Scott, ‘Share The Fantasy - CHANEL N°5’, 1979
Figure 2: Director:
Joe Wright, ‘There you are -
CHANEL N°5 Part 1’, 2012
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGs4CjeJiJQ
Figure
3: Context : Cosmopolitan , Cachet – ‘As Individual As You Are’,
1979
Figure
4: ‘Dettol – Complete Clean’, 2010
Babowice, H.
(2010) ‘Kids Ink: Taste Is Actually
Smell’ [Internet],
Available from:
Berger, J.
(1972) ‘John Berger, Ways of Seeing – Advertising’ [Internet], Available from: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmgGT3th_oI>
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January 2013]
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, R. (1998) ‘Influence: The Psychology of
Persuasion’, 1st Ed. HarperCollins Publishers
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(2002) ‘How to Produce Successful
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Marx,K.
(1867) ‘Capital: Critique of Political Economy – Volume 1’ , Penguin UK
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