JOURNAL ENTRY #14: Short Paper #2

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Ivana Devendran

Student #: 999719265[SR1] 

Professor Sarah Kleeb

Key Questions in Humanities, Tutorial #4

Date Assignment Due: Thursday, February 7^th, 2013

The Culture Industry’s Role through Advertising [SR2] 

            The theory of culture industry as a part of the early critical theory by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer is about how dominating powers control large masses of consumers through power[SR3] . This theory is displayed heavily especially in the present age where mainly everything is technology-driven. Advertising’s role is creating a culture of consumption[SR4] . Consumers have always depended on the role of advertising in order to satisfy their wants, in making decisions of what they want to purchase. The choice of viewing these advertisements are solely of the consumer’s and can be controlled, despite its constant exposure on us everyday. Advertisements ultimately reshape the society where consumers live in and are constantly bombarded with ads everywhere from television to billboards. [SR5] 

            The culture industry consists of mass marketing and media and technology. The producers of products know what consumers like and want, and utilize advertising strategically to lure them. Due to the publicizing of products, it grabs the attention of consumers. If products weren’t promoted in such a way than it would not be effective in creating sales and getting itself out there[SR6] . This frequent promotion can be seen as brainwashing or manipulation, but consumers have the willpower to not give into these promotions. Within the culture industry there is much influence from individuals especially celebrities or authority figures, because people want to be able to have that “celebrity status”. “Out of the norm” consumers exist because not everybody fits the ideal customer image. There are few consumers in the market that will follow the big trends partially because the majority of them are buying a product.[SR7] 

With the culture industry there is a possibility that it just a series of misrepresentations that are a deception for the public. Once a product comes out with an advertisement, consumers don’t really put much thought into its function. They just go along with the ad’s statements.[SR8]  They communicate and evoke messages to masses of people and as they tune in, majority of them tend to follow. They make an impact by creating awareness, depending on the type of product being advertised. Promoting a product requires using appropriate values such as humor, fashion, or street credibility.  These values provide the consumer with a certain mindset because they want to possess a particular value and do so by getting a hold of the product through its persuasive advertising. Consumers don’t have to want to be charmed into buying because consumers have the choice. They can choose what path they want to follow. Society is aware of what is appearance and reality when it comes to advertising and it is a part of their culture despite if they agree with it or not.  While the purpose of advertising is to help generate trends in a society, it is also the cause of the breaking of norms that have been a part of a society. [SR9] 

Technology has also taken a hold on the culture industry when it comes to how much people depend on it to live their lives. It has made a great impact on the culture industry especially in its advancements and improvements; consumers feel the need to keep up with this rapid change.  Mass-produced products are promoted through advertising in order for consumption by masses of people. In addition technology provides all the people within society equality rather than a form of hierarchy, which puts everyone on a scale. A fusion of culture and economy is emerging, and this is known as the culture industry over masses of people.[SR10]  The role of advertising drives society under the control of dominant powers. If consumption has made a positive impact on the consumer, then they are satisfied. Thus it has the power to alter the perceptions of reality of consumers when it comes to their values and assumptions for better or for worse.

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Works Cited

Porter, Kelsey. Horkheimer and Adorno’s Culture Industry: Loss of Genuine Dialogue             and Variation Due to Media and Mass Marketing, 2009. PDF file.

Adorno, Theodor. Culture industry reconsidered, 1991. PDF file.

DEAR IVANA,

Thanks for your interesting paper. For this to be a stronger academic paper you need to cite sources and give far more specifics. Much of the paper felt too general and vague and it was unclear whether you were presenting your own ideas or those of other people. To make a clear and clean argument using other sources is a skill, and the next paper should more directly quote and cite from the sources you are discussing.

GRADE: 58%

Best,

Sarah

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 [SR1]Don’t need this here, but should have included your TA’s name. Please see the instructions.

 [SR2]Title ok, but could be more interesting or say more about what the paper will be about.

 [SR3]Powers with power? Repetitive word choice.

 [SR4]Advertising creates consumption or promotes it?

 [SR5]Intro lacks a clear thesis.

 [SR6]Ok, but do you really think the ads actually create the desire? Would people not want things if they didn’t see ads? I am not so sure…

 [SR7]Meaning of this sentence not clear.

 [SR8]These are all very general and unsupported statements. To make this paper stronger you need to be integrating citations and quotations of your sources by now.

 [SR9]Unclear—what norms do you mean?

 [SR10]Unclear—is this what Adorno means by the term or is this what you think it means? This paper needs citations and specifics.

 Feedback: I felt that after the first essay I realized that what I did previously wasn't going to cut it. I felt that in my second essay it was much better in terms of explaining my arguments, although it still was too general and not specific enough. I was also lacking in how to properly cite ideas into my paper in order for it to be more effective.