- According to Berger, how do “publicity”–what we would call advertising–images influence consumers and why is this significant?
Publicity/Advertising is different as it applies to a way of life that we aspire to or think we aspire to but have not yet achieved. Consumers are affected by advertising because the pictures advertised are enhanced in such a way that it makes us believe that what we buy or what is offering would make our life different from what it already is. Not only our home will be intact but our relationships will be better because of our new possession but in reality we could only achieve that goal if we have enough money. This will encourage people to apply for credit cards despite of interest rates.
- As he compares oil painting to publicity (advertising) photography, Berger argues that oil painting “showed what the owner was already enjoying among his possessions and way of life;” “it enhanced his view of himself as he already was.” Whereas publicity pictures, “appeal to a way of life that we aspire to or think we aspire to.” Why are these differences important? What do they reveal to us about the production of images for publicity?
The difference between the oil paintings and the publicity photos is that the oil paintings are normally found in the houses of people with with authority and it is surrounded by gold frames which symbolizes the wealth of the owners within the picture and people around it while the publicity photos are found plastered on the walls or windows of peoples neighborhoods or common place of leisure activities to get the consumer’s attention so they might buy the products and dream to be like the people in the photo but it still excludes them.
- Choose one of the “dreams” he offers or think of your own. How does this dream offered by advertising use imagery to manipulate consumers?
When he speaks about the dream- The Dream of Later Tonight he means that if you buy e.g a Gucci bag or if you wear the best perfume eg Dior, that you will be the best person in the room and everyone would want to have what you have but in reality imagery may be public but dreams are intimate and you bring the greatest pleasure of all to the party and feel special but later when you get home you feel the same way you were before you had all of the special items.
