The Effect of Advertising

Of the three articles, I found the one discussing advertising the most interesting.  Granted, the article is severely outdated at this point, but the points that it makes are still applicable for the most part.  I was very surprised to find that companies insist on articles or content in magazines that either promotes their brand, or at the very least, promotes the consumption of their industry.  I always mostly pictured the industry from an entirely different viewpoint, where companies are doing their best to have their products featured in magazines for the publicity, rather than magazines reaching out to individual companies to ask for them to advertise.  In this case, it makes me wonder if the fact that Ms magazine has a feminist angle is the main reason that they had such difficulty finding advertising money, or if that method is common to all/most magazines.  I have a hard time believing that a more popular magazine with a more widespread readership is soliciting individual companies, because then they are “choosing,” in effect, which companies have the ability to succeed through advertising.  It must then, be the opposite path – that companies come to big magazines and bid for space in the magazines.

            Regardless, the main point was the idea that companies “require” that the magazines do something to promote their product, even if it’s not by name directly.  As pointed out in the article, it seems odd that companies won't simply rely on the strength of their product and advertisement alone to sell their product, but instead they need the magazine to reinforce their points and help ensnare the consumer.  The very beginning article also makes me think about the power of advertising, much as we’ve discussed in class.  Without the advertising, the media of today would likely have a very different angle and direction.  However, advertising takes a front seat in the positioning of today’s media efforts.  The ads we see all around us dictate what most people believe is normal and expected throughout society.  When women see ads for normal clothes with gorgeous models that are airbrushed to look perfect, many immediately compare themselves and recognize that they simply don’t look like the commercials.  While this has effects on many levels, it certainly has emotional impacts, as mentioned within the Brumberg article.  Yvonne’s entries in her diary point directly to this issue when it comes to weight loss, body image, and attached emotional feelings.  These things are issues that we need to address going forwards, so that the advertising industry does not have control over the media and press.