Annotated Bibliography (GEN 103: January 22, 2018)

Annotated Bibliography

Thesis Statement:  As technology advances and more outlets are created for advertising, the influx raises concern regarding the effects advertising has on society.  By analyzing advertising campaigns during changing eras, one can conclude that advertising adapts, hesitantly at times, to society's values while unpopular culture change meets resistance. Advertising can expedite the rate which society embraces change, but is unable to create a new culture.

Annotation 1:  eBook 1:

Dunn, J. C., Stern, D. M., & Manning, J.. (2015). Lucky strikes and a three-martini lunch: thinking about television's mad men (2^nd ed.). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu

The purpose of this book is to review advertising campaigns released during the end of the era of conformity and the beginning of rebellion which spanned from the 1950s into 1970s. The authors compare advertisements to the series Mad Men which provides a fictional account of that shift. The authors use advertisement examples and scenes from Mad Men to discuss the collision of traditional and non-conformist values.

The book reviews the adaptation in advertisements that occurred regarding race, gender roles, independence, and youth culture.  Advertisers refrained from featuring African Americans in advertisements in the 1950s and 1960s. The authors reference Harold Kassarjian's research which found that African Americans were featured in only one percent of national magazine advertisements and were often stereotyped within that one percent. Women were featured as homemakers, or sexually objectified. Advertisers began to focus on the younger, rebellious generation creatively. Marketing started exploiting the trend to stand out from the crowd.   The book provides examples of non-traditional advertising campaigns which appealed to individual choice such as Tareyton Tobacco, Camel, and Volkswagen.

By comparing the Mad Men series to real advertising campaigns demonstrates how old advertising methods paralleled culture, even amidst a time of radical change.

Annotation 2:  Web Page 1:

Frith, K. T. (1988, June 01). More Than We Bargained For: The Impact of Consumer Culture in Southeast Asia. Retrieved January 15, 2018, from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=advertising%2Bimpact&ft=on&pg=3&id=ED295269.

The purpose of the article is to present criticism, implications, explain regulatory actions regarding Western advertisement strategies in Eastern cultures. Frith explains that Eastern countries have adopted industrialization but are concerned that western consumerism will change the current culture and traditions. Eastern culture believes adapting to consumerism would have severe consequences in impoverished countries.

The author mentions the advertisement of unhealthy goods such as tobacco, noting that the American export of cigarettes tripled within the last ten years. Tobacco usage reportedly increased 50 percent in Thailand from 1970 through 1977, Pakistan experienced a 60 percent increase over ten years, and India saw a 90% increase over twenty years. Government regulations have been placed in several countries to protect specific values.  Indonesian banned all television advertising.  India set laws which prohibit the presentation of women indecently.  Malaysia constructed the Ministry of Information's Advertising Code which enforces advertising to represent Malaysian culture, be produced in Malaysia, and contain only Malaysian models.

The article does not blame advertising for consumption. Regarding industrialization, most countries view consumerism ambivalently. The article acknowledges how Western views may not be fitting for the Eastern values. Frith concludes that Eastern culture must conform to Western values, or marketers need to reflect the individualized culture of each country; the former would be damaging, while the latter would prove more effective.

This article strengthens the concept that advertisers must respect and adapt to culture to be successful. The article explains the length people will go to protect and preserve their culture sometimes even with government regulations. This source provides examples of resistance faced by marketers when they present counter-culture.

Annotation 3:  Scholarly Article 1:

Lantos, G.P. (1987). Advertising: Looking Glass or Molder of the Masses?. Journal Of Public Policy & Marketing, 6(1), 104-128.

The purpose of the article is to examine empirical information to discover a possible correlation between advertising and societal changes. Lantos explores many commonly argued areas associated with advertising: patriotism, public service campaigns, personal care products, cigarette advertising, stereotypes, the press, politics, subliminal advertising, and children's advertisements. The author compiles various citations from articles and intellectuals to prove that advertising merely reflects society and is slower to change than the people who create social change. One example is the 1960s civil rights movement which prompted the Congress on Racial Equality to ask agencies to represent African-Americans and minorities positively in advertisements.  Lantos addresses children's susceptibility to advertising and the stricter guidelines enforced regarding children's advertising, including cigarette advertisements.

Lantos explains the objective of advertisers is to relate to the values of their buyers to appeal to the customer base, rather than force new values. The article argues that non-intrusive marketing campaigns like "Smokey the Bear" have been more successful than those who go against accepted standards such as "Buckle Up."   One idea repeated throughout the article is that advertising is a means to grow product preference, and not to create needs. Lantos states that advertising can only speed up change, but not alter or evoke the views already in place within society.

This source provides examples where advertising followed social change, rather than molded or changed the culture.

               

Annotation 4:  Web Page 2:

Neilson Corporation. (2015). Recommendations from Friends Remain Most Credible Form of Advertising Among Consumers; Branded Websites Are the Second-Highest-Rated Form. Retrieved January 14, 2018, from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-room/2015/recommendations-from-friends-remain-most-credible-form-of-advertising.html

The purpose of the article is to present data from a study gathered from over 30,000 consumers, in 60 countries from February 23, 2015 through March 13, 2015. The article explains that word of mouth advertising is considered the most credible form of advertising since eighty-three percent of those polled stated they trust the opinions of friends and family. Seventy percent of consumers believe official website advertisements are also trustworthy, but to a lesser extent than word of mouth.  According to polls, people trust traditional forms of advertising over digital mediums. Those polled rated TV ads at 63% followed by newspaper ads at 60%, magazines at 58%, online video ads at 48%, search engine ads at 47%, social network ads at 46%, online banner ads at 42%, and mobile advertising at 43%.  The article then proceeds to rank the trust of consumers towards online formats, placing Millennials as the highest trusting generation.

A common perception regarding advertising is the idea that due to the increased forms of advertising, the power which mass media holds must also increase. This article proves the opposite and in fact, strengthens the argument that close peers have a more significant effect towards a consumer's choice over advertising efforts.

Other sources state that society creates the platform for advertising.  This article adds that one's social group has more of an effect on consumer trends than other advertising avenues.

Annotation 5:  Scholarly Article 2:

Sissors, J.Z. (1978). Another Look at the Question: does Advertising Affect Values?. Journal Of Advertising, 7(3), 26-30.

The purpose of the article is to discuss broad accusations that advertising is responsible for changing social values. Sissors addresses three fundamental areas to examine before one can debate the argument: defining the term "value" and the exact area impacted, studying the long-term effects of advertising, and understanding what forms and creates values. Sissors' purpose is to distinguish between opinions and facts as most claims are too vague and broad to argue.

Sissors explains the meaning of values claiming the definition varies according to individuals. Critics commonly use the terms values and needs interchangeably even though they are not synonymous. Sissors explores the long-term effects of advertising and deems the area insufficiently studied. Until further research is complete, Sissors concludes that a better observation is that peers have a more considerable influence on values and culture than advertising.  The article ascertains that one's close social group establishes values. Children often form values through observation and communication. Sissors argues that parents would hold a high source of credibility, thus influencing the creation of values more so than advertising which maintains low credibility. Sissors explains how difficult it is to convince a person with strong values to change their stance. Rokeach's experiment proves that creating dissonance within an individual can provoke a change in values, but Sissors asserts that advertising would not be able to create inner conflict simultaneously for a large population.

This article explores the concepts of consumer values and what is responsible for constructing those values. The article establishes that advertising may affect society, but the precise way and extent are inconclusive due to available evidence.