Jeffrey Moy
In the article, “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception” by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer,” the authors critiques the culture industry in different areas. For my blog, I decided to focus on how the culture industry affects consumers through advertising. Advertising is a form of communication that can be seen in the media, billboards, newspapers, and magazines. Companies advertise their products in order to persuade the consumer to buy the product, whether they need it or don’t need it. In my analysis, I will discuss how the culture industry uses advertisement to induce consumers like me and my mom to purchase a product even though we didn’t need it.
While clothing is a necessity, companies advertise clothing to have special features that may prove beneficial to the wearer. For example, I was watching television and I saw an Under Armour commercial advertising cold gear sweatshirts. While the sweatshirt seemed like any ordinary sweatshirt, the commercial stated that the sweatshirt has a signature moisture transport system that wicks sweat away from the body, traps heat, and is water resistant. Since I run frequently and the weather was getting cold, I decided to go out and purchase one. While I still enjoy wearing this product today, I didn’t actually need it. While this sweatshirt has distinct features, its main function was to keep me warm and that is what my other sweatshirts already do. Although the Under Armour sweatshirt was water resistant, I could have just wore a regular sweatshirt and a water resistant rain jacket over it. However, the idea of it being a two in one(sweatshirt and rain resistant) compelled me to make the purchase due to it’s versatility.
On the other hand, my mom had a similar case for a kitchen appliance. Like me, she was watching television and came across the magic bullet blender. In the commercial, someone was showing the audience how fast and easy it was to use the magic bullet. All you had to do was put some ingredients in a cup that you wanted to blend, twist on the blade, and put it in the machine. In a matter of seconds, your product will be completely cut up; faster and safer than using a knife. Not only that, the magic bullet is the size of a coffee mug and has the job of a blender, food processor, knife and cutting board, juicer, and hand mixer. With all the benefits listed and shown in the video, it was enough persuasion to get my mom off the coach and to the computer to order one. When the magic bullet came, she put the magic bullet where the blender and food processor was and later told me to put those appliances in the basement. While she enjoys using the magic bullet, I think that the purchase was unnecessary. Though the magic bullet is a convenient appliance to use, our previous appliances would have got the job done. But due to the simplicity, easy to clean, versatility, and size of the appliance, persuaded my mom use the magic bullet over the other appliances.
In all, these two examples are prime reasons how the culture industry is controlling from advertising. Companies advertise their products in a specific way to display how their products are better than what you already have or don't have, but need to get. While the advertised product may have one distinct feature more than what you already have, the advertisement persuades our false needs and induces us to purchase their product to be up to date in society when we could just wait till a significant difference till our next purchase.
In the article, “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception” by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer,” the authors critiques the culture industry in different areas. For my blog, I decided to focus on how the culture industry affects consumers through advertising. Advertising is a form of communication that can be seen in the media, billboards, newspapers, and magazines. Companies advertise their products in order to persuade the consumer to buy the product, whether they need it or don’t need it. In my analysis, I will discuss how the culture industry uses advertisement to induce consumers like me and my mom to purchase a product even though we didn’t need it.
While clothing is a necessity, companies advertise clothing to have special features that may prove beneficial to the wearer. For example, I was watching television and I saw an Under Armour commercial advertising cold gear sweatshirts. While the sweatshirt seemed like any ordinary sweatshirt, the commercial stated that the sweatshirt has a signature moisture transport system that wicks sweat away from the body, traps heat, and is water resistant. Since I run frequently and the weather was getting cold, I decided to go out and purchase one. While I still enjoy wearing this product today, I didn’t actually need it. While this sweatshirt has distinct features, its main function was to keep me warm and that is what my other sweatshirts already do. Although the Under Armour sweatshirt was water resistant, I could have just wore a regular sweatshirt and a water resistant rain jacket over it. However, the idea of it being a two in one(sweatshirt and rain resistant) compelled me to make the purchase due to it’s versatility.
On the other hand, my mom had a similar case for a kitchen appliance. Like me, she was watching television and came across the magic bullet blender. In the commercial, someone was showing the audience how fast and easy it was to use the magic bullet. All you had to do was put some ingredients in a cup that you wanted to blend, twist on the blade, and put it in the machine. In a matter of seconds, your product will be completely cut up; faster and safer than using a knife. Not only that, the magic bullet is the size of a coffee mug and has the job of a blender, food processor, knife and cutting board, juicer, and hand mixer. With all the benefits listed and shown in the video, it was enough persuasion to get my mom off the coach and to the computer to order one. When the magic bullet came, she put the magic bullet where the blender and food processor was and later told me to put those appliances in the basement. While she enjoys using the magic bullet, I think that the purchase was unnecessary. Though the magic bullet is a convenient appliance to use, our previous appliances would have got the job done. But due to the simplicity, easy to clean, versatility, and size of the appliance, persuaded my mom use the magic bullet over the other appliances.
In all, these two examples are prime reasons how the culture industry is controlling from advertising. Companies advertise their products in a specific way to display how their products are better than what you already have or don't have, but need to get. While the advertised product may have one distinct feature more than what you already have, the advertisement persuades our false needs and induces us to purchase their product to be up to date in society when we could just wait till a significant difference till our next purchase.