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Introduction

Advertising or marketing is arguably one of the most crucial pillars of any business or entity. It has, throughout the years, proved to be an effective method for selling new products. In fact, advertising has a bearing on the relevance of any business or enterprise in the market thanks to its capacity to determine its profitability (Lasch, 34). Advertising has quite a number of advantages for any economy. First, advertising is known to generate wealth for the economy. This is accomplished through taxes that are paid on goods that have been sold as a result of advertising. This has a trickle-down effect as the government uses such finance to provide essential services to the nation, including healthcare and education. In addition, a large number of jobs are created through marketing, servicing and producing these goods thereby reducing unemployment. Needless to say, advertisement has undergone a lot of changes in the recent times. Advertising strategies have evolved tremendously in the recent years. Of course, this is all aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of adverts in a world that is undergoing rapid changes. However, questions emerge as to whether advertising influences individuals to buy things or people will merely buy things simply because they need them. As Gloria Steinem (176) states, the editorial copy that targets women is informed by things other than the wishes of the reader. It has been an open secret that present-day adverts promote consumerism in the society.

Thesis statement: Present-day adverts are closely tied to consumerism.

The importance of advertising is recognized as lying in its ability to increase the consumption of goods, which in itself is economically-viable. In essence, market players have sought the help of marketing and advertising in an effort to convince consumers to increase their consumption. Lasch (45) states that the economy relied on creating new consumer demands as it had reached the level where its technology had the capacity to satisfy the fundamental material needs. In essence, it aimed at convincing people to purchase goods for which the people were unaware of the need until the mass media brought it to their attention (Lasch, 47). Consumerism breeds a number of myths as seen in the advert presented.

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The advert above seeks to promote Tummy Tuck jeans from Elle. It is worth noting that the denim jeans in the advert are meant for women only. However, it is evident that the advert has been carefully crafted as to have certain effects on the (potential) consumer so as to drive up sales. This is accomplished through the incorporation of thinly-veiled cultural myths in the advert.

One of the myths that are incorporated in the advert is that the consumer’s body is not satisfactory or perfect enough. It is worth noting that the women incorporated in the advert have slim and perfect body proportions and figures, as well as incredible beauty. On the other hand, the consumer is bound to be out-of-shape, smelly and too fat, although her friend and acquaintances do not tell her that forthrightly. Consumers are trained to worry, for example, that their acquaintances will not tell then in case they look pathetic as that brand of criticism is simply embarrassing. This advert triggers the thought that the consumer jeans would give the consumer that “cool” look. The portrait on the foreground is the person that the consumer is being promised to become (Solomon and Maasik, 5). Of course, the advert does not imply that, but that is exactly what it wants the consumer to think since that is a more effective method of getting her to make the purchase. Denotation is a less powerful stimulant than connotation or suggestion. However, suggestion is often deliberately covered in the indicators that are presented in the ads. The advertisers, therefore, use this portrait to enhance their ability to identify and exploit their potential consumers’ fantasies and wishes. It is worth noting that the portrait propels the process where lifestyle images are given priority over and above the presentation of facts pertaining to the product (Kilbourne, 45).

In addition, the advert seems to propagate the myth that happiness, sex appeal and satisfaction are imminent and can be obtained with the next purchase. This is clearly expressed in the wording of the advert presented. The advert states that the “Tummy Tuck jeans have been specially designed to lift the woman’s butt, flatten her butt and make her look and feel a size smaller”. The woman is bound to be “pleasantly surprised” once she tries one of the Tummy Tuck Jeans. The message here is that as much as people may have everything they need there is always something missing. The portrait and the message imply that consumers are virtually on the verge of becoming happy. The woman in the advert is gleefully happy. In addition, the group of women on the left is virtually leaping into the air as they experience rapturous joy. The combined message in this case is that happiness, sex appeal and satisfaction are within the reach of customers especially once they make the purchase (Kilbourne, 65).

Moreover, the advert promotes the myth that corporations and businesses are concerned about or have  the welfare of the public in mind. It goes without saying that no advert can pass a negative message about the corporation or business for which it is bound to market. This is especially considering that the corporate images that appear in the adverts are placed by the business itself, in which case it has to carry a relentlessly positive message (Himmelstein, 17). The message incorporated in the advert above is that the business behind Tummy Tuck jeans is concerned about the image, figure and shape of women (potential customers), in which case it aims at improving their shape and the shape of their bodies.

Lastly, there is the myth that a wholesome life consists of purchasing possessions that cost a lot of money. The portrait incorporates beautiful women in immaculate clothing, shoes and even more immaculate furniture exhibiting highlife lifestyle. These are all part of the luxurious lifestyle that is, apparently, available for the consumers’ enjoyment but only if they can afford it (Himmelstein, 13).

The advert used in the paper outlines the fact that the American society is a consumer society. This explains the reason why adverts are aimed at triggering dissatisfaction in American people with the things that they have thereby making them yearn for more. The exposure to products that customers do not have produces dissatisfaction and frustration, thereby triggering a desire to purchase the item that is being advertised. In addition, this advert underlines the material nature of the American culture. It underlines the fact that people place too much importance on material goods.

Works cited

Kilbourne, Jean. Deadly Persuasion: Why Everyone Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising. New York: Free Press, 1999. Print

Lasch, Christopher. The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations. New York: Norton, 1991. Print

Steinem, Gloria. Sex, Lies & Advertising. Ms Magazine, 1972. Print

Himmelstein, Hal. Television Myth and the American Mind. New York: Praeger, 1984. Print

Solomon, Jack and Maasik, Sonia. The Semiotic Method. Signs of Life in the USA. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1994. 4-9. Print