Decoding Advertising

 

    Most of advertisements contain misrepresentations that are only partially true.  The purpose is to let the people buy products by dazzling them, and it has not changed over time.  However, the ways they attract people are really different.

    In early 1900's, most of the ads seem to have long paragraphs to make the ads attractive.   

 

    This is an advertisement of Pond's Cream in 1925.  The picture shows that woman is coming out of the big house and the guy is waiting for her as a driver.  The thing I found out in the paragraph is that there is no such functions how this cream would work.  It just says that women who are in high positions in the society use this cream.  But  I don't think low positions didn't use this in that period.  It just confusing me why it is related to only high positions.  Also, it just concludes at the end that more and more women are using the cream without any fact showing.  You see the title says, "The Choice of Women of High Position."  This title is in big font but then, it is really tiny font for the paragraph.  First, it holds attention of viewers by the title, then curious viewers would read the paragraph.  It is using viewers' minds cleverly.  Next advertisement is similar.

    This is dental supply advertisement in 1918.  Just the same like the first advertisement; luxurious looking woman appearing, title attracts viewers with big font.  First sentence of paragraph is saying, "Brush your teeth twice a day with S.S. White Tooth Paste."  Then, it says about how dangerous not taking care of teeth, and that is the reason why people have to use this tooth paste.  It is again, using viewers' minds cleverly; motivating people to use this product by warning them.  It even seems that people must use it. 

    Nothing has been changed in advertisements of today.  They still keep attracting viewers.  The ways they use are different though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are fascinated with the Science of You.

  

      

 These two advertisements (Ponds and Colgate- Colgate one may not show up on this page somehow, click on the box to see) are really colorful with short sentences but they are enough to hold attention.  First one feels simple with white colored font and there is also picture of woman who has a good skin.  It looks just clean, and it fits with product's characteristic.  Second one looks concisely.  It used an effect of shinning around the words so people easily realize that it is tooth paste.

    They have the same purpose, being attractive to sell more.  However, back in 1900's was a little different.  There are many advertisements related to women which means that role of women took a bigger part in society, so companies would use this fact to complicate women such as showing them  facts which look so obvious and let them feel must use the products as if they were only products in the world.  Now is different.  I don't think the people would like to read long sentences anymore.  I don't think they would trust just what advertisements say at all either.  Instead, they are really colorful and simple which make people feel fresh.  This effect makes people remember the advertisements more and easily.

Reference.

Ponds Institute. www.ponds.com

Colgate Oral Care. http://www.colgate.com/cp/oralcare.class/products/OC_Products.jsp