I am at a loss for words strong enough to describe my disgust.
I was seriously grossed out and disturbed by the ad film we watched today. It was an older film, from the 1980s, but it still struck a painful cord. Such baseline manipulation, I have never seen in my life. It really discredits humanity reducing them to sex craving, death focused beings. Maybe I am ignorant thinking that those ads were more prevalent in the 80s, but I don't see it that often in my little world. I am not looking for it, so I don't see it. And I would rather not. Informative: yes. Defeating? More so.
There is nothing wrong with sex or death as subject matter, but preying on people's subconsciouses, their weaknesses or fears, is horrible. The advertising that the man displayed made me ashamed to be aspiring to be part of the design world. I felt physically ill looking at these images, and having the speaker point out all the 'hidden' imagery that was within the advertisements themselves. All I could think, the entire 29 minutes that I sat through was "How could you?!"
Honestly, how on God's great Earth could you go home and think of yourself as an intelligent and ethically well rounded person, after producing something like that? You can't. It basically says, "We are cavemen, so let's advertise like cavemen." I understand that sex sells, but this was just awful! All of these ads were advertising a product, and made men and women look like sex machines. It discredits any intelligence, capability to have a life even, on either side. They have taken the beauty, intimacy and preciousness out of the physical relationship between a man and woman, and made it something almost evil. I felt violated just looking at the advertisements as they were broken down.
The section on Death in advertising was even more disquieting than anything. It was dark, depressing, and terrible. Demonic almost. Brrr. It was filled from top to bottom with "Life sucks and you are going to die anyway, so start smoking today. What have you got to lose? Your life? Ha ha." I don't think I have ever been so thankful for my faith in my life. To have hope for a life beyond hopelessness, to be designed for purpose, not death, is a wonderful feeling. To also believe that death is not an end, that I have nothing to fear in death because I have a savior that died on a cross for me, gives me strength. Even if you do not believe the same things I do, I am certain that even you can argue with me that this kind of manipulation is wrong. And to know that this kind of unthinkable emptiness is boring into someones innermost thoughts and soul?! I am disgusted! No wonder we have so many problems with self esteem and depression! They have made an industry of fear and weakness, and are frighteningly good at it. Shame on advertisers, designers and psychologist who work in that field!
I know there is advertising out there that does good for our society. The ones that deliver a message, often via shock value about important issues, such as the dangers of binge drinking, drug abuse, child abuse, animal cruelty and need for aid in other countries. They have to do that to get you to really think about what is being said. It makes you sit down for a few moments longer, makes you aware or stirs you to do something. It may not be nice to look at, it may make you uncomfortable, but at least it is the truth. And someone out there found value enough in that cause to put thousands or even millions of dollars into that add to make sure you see it, and feel compelled enough to at least stop and look. It can also be good news, positive movements for the environment or in technology. I know this is a medium that does important things for our society. But when that power of communication is abused, using manipulation and sub-conscious images, it is just wrong. Forget its effectiveness, the money that it brings and think about its affect. What is this actually doing? Can you honestly say "I proudly stand behind my work and this product." Can you say that to your family? Your kids? Can you say it to the 14 year old girl who thinks she would rather die than have her beauty diminish because of age?! Because of your ad? Or the young man in his 20s that thinks that drinking is the only way he can be attractive to women? How about that one.
There is so much money and industry behind advertising, because they are continuously trying to find a way to get to each and every one of us. I don't mind the every day patter or products and cars. I am immune to that now. The environment I have grown up in and my personal belief's hold way more sway over how I think and act. Not advertising. They are having to change their original paths now because we have been so over exposed to advertising in out daily lives that we have converted them to white noise. They have less effect now, than they did before. At least in my view. We research items before we buy them, ask our friends or professionals, use google shamelessly, and then make our decisions based of knowledge. Because we know not to believe everything we see.
I also believe that we are capable of making judgments for ourselves. We make the call on what influences us, and what doesn't. Mainly because someone along they way showed us that we can. Sure, what we see does affect us, hugely. But we get to chose how much we dwell on it, do something about it or let us consume us. We are intelligent. We have minds that still have great mystery to them. The human body is a beautiful thing, complex and incredible. When we forget we are built of intelligent design, we reduce ourselves to nothing more than the dust we walk on. What a terrible thing.
I am one designer who cannot and will not be party to this kind of work. No money, power or prestige in the world could convince me differently.
I was seriously grossed out and disturbed by the ad film we watched today. It was an older film, from the 1980s, but it still struck a painful cord. Such baseline manipulation, I have never seen in my life. It really discredits humanity reducing them to sex craving, death focused beings. Maybe I am ignorant thinking that those ads were more prevalent in the 80s, but I don't see it that often in my little world. I am not looking for it, so I don't see it. And I would rather not. Informative: yes. Defeating? More so.
There is nothing wrong with sex or death as subject matter, but preying on people's subconsciouses, their weaknesses or fears, is horrible. The advertising that the man displayed made me ashamed to be aspiring to be part of the design world. I felt physically ill looking at these images, and having the speaker point out all the 'hidden' imagery that was within the advertisements themselves. All I could think, the entire 29 minutes that I sat through was "How could you?!"
Honestly, how on God's great Earth could you go home and think of yourself as an intelligent and ethically well rounded person, after producing something like that? You can't. It basically says, "We are cavemen, so let's advertise like cavemen." I understand that sex sells, but this was just awful! All of these ads were advertising a product, and made men and women look like sex machines. It discredits any intelligence, capability to have a life even, on either side. They have taken the beauty, intimacy and preciousness out of the physical relationship between a man and woman, and made it something almost evil. I felt violated just looking at the advertisements as they were broken down.
The section on Death in advertising was even more disquieting than anything. It was dark, depressing, and terrible. Demonic almost. Brrr. It was filled from top to bottom with "Life sucks and you are going to die anyway, so start smoking today. What have you got to lose? Your life? Ha ha." I don't think I have ever been so thankful for my faith in my life. To have hope for a life beyond hopelessness, to be designed for purpose, not death, is a wonderful feeling. To also believe that death is not an end, that I have nothing to fear in death because I have a savior that died on a cross for me, gives me strength. Even if you do not believe the same things I do, I am certain that even you can argue with me that this kind of manipulation is wrong. And to know that this kind of unthinkable emptiness is boring into someones innermost thoughts and soul?! I am disgusted! No wonder we have so many problems with self esteem and depression! They have made an industry of fear and weakness, and are frighteningly good at it. Shame on advertisers, designers and psychologist who work in that field!
I know there is advertising out there that does good for our society. The ones that deliver a message, often via shock value about important issues, such as the dangers of binge drinking, drug abuse, child abuse, animal cruelty and need for aid in other countries. They have to do that to get you to really think about what is being said. It makes you sit down for a few moments longer, makes you aware or stirs you to do something. It may not be nice to look at, it may make you uncomfortable, but at least it is the truth. And someone out there found value enough in that cause to put thousands or even millions of dollars into that add to make sure you see it, and feel compelled enough to at least stop and look. It can also be good news, positive movements for the environment or in technology. I know this is a medium that does important things for our society. But when that power of communication is abused, using manipulation and sub-conscious images, it is just wrong. Forget its effectiveness, the money that it brings and think about its affect. What is this actually doing? Can you honestly say "I proudly stand behind my work and this product." Can you say that to your family? Your kids? Can you say it to the 14 year old girl who thinks she would rather die than have her beauty diminish because of age?! Because of your ad? Or the young man in his 20s that thinks that drinking is the only way he can be attractive to women? How about that one.
There is so much money and industry behind advertising, because they are continuously trying to find a way to get to each and every one of us. I don't mind the every day patter or products and cars. I am immune to that now. The environment I have grown up in and my personal belief's hold way more sway over how I think and act. Not advertising. They are having to change their original paths now because we have been so over exposed to advertising in out daily lives that we have converted them to white noise. They have less effect now, than they did before. At least in my view. We research items before we buy them, ask our friends or professionals, use google shamelessly, and then make our decisions based of knowledge. Because we know not to believe everything we see.
I also believe that we are capable of making judgments for ourselves. We make the call on what influences us, and what doesn't. Mainly because someone along they way showed us that we can. Sure, what we see does affect us, hugely. But we get to chose how much we dwell on it, do something about it or let us consume us. We are intelligent. We have minds that still have great mystery to them. The human body is a beautiful thing, complex and incredible. When we forget we are built of intelligent design, we reduce ourselves to nothing more than the dust we walk on. What a terrible thing.
I am one designer who cannot and will not be party to this kind of work. No money, power or prestige in the world could convince me differently.
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