Advertisement and Cultural Transformation in Middle East: In Special Context to Oman
Abhishek K. Singh
Faculty, Department of Communication Studies,
College of Applied Sciences
Sultanate of Oman dr.asingh89@gmail.com ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction
In the era of information society, media is playing a very crucial part in everyday lives. It influences both how we see ourselves and society in all perspectives. There are different kinds of media and all of them are presenting their content in more fascinating and glamorize way to influence audience. The presentation of advertisement and pictures in the media is certainly creating a unique mental space in the mind of social capitals.
As far as the advertising and their social influence are concern, the understanding of cultural differences is often considered a prerequisite for successful international advertising (Keegan, 2008) because consumers grow up in a particular culture and become aligned with that culture 's value system as well as beliefs and perception processes. Several studies have shown that consumers are more inclined to respond to advertisements that are congruent with their culture (Boddewyn, Soehl, and Picard, 1986; Buzzell, 1968; Harris, 1984). Unlike, today’s era of media globalization is changing the taste of social capitals especially the youngster and their value system. The value system includes sets of beliefs, attitudes, and
The main aspect of advertising is to ‘get more bang for the buck’, to make it aesthetically pleasing to the eye and gain the viewer’s attention. Throughout the years, advertising has varied in many ways from catchy slogans to iconic logos. Some may say there is nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, but what if one area is gaining the benefits slightly different than the others because of their boldness? American and European advertising are very different culturally as well as aesthetically. There has always been a cultural difference in the style of
For the longest time now, advertising has played a huge role in how we identify ourselves in the United States with the American culture, and how others identify themselves with all the cultures of the rest of the world as well. It guides us in making everyday decisions, such as what items we definitely need to invest our money on, how to dress in-vogue, and what mindset we should have to prosper the most. Although advertising does help make life easier for most, at the same time it has negative affects on the people of society as well. Advertisement discreetly manipulates the beliefs, morals, and values of our culture, and it does so in a way that most of the time we don’t even realize it’s happened. In order to reach our main goal of
Television is an electronic telecommunication device that transmits pictures and sounds. Since its inception and release into society, the Television has grown to become extremely popular. The undying devotion to this medium has helped shape many aspects of human life. It has become a tool for education and entertainment. Businesses have found an efficient means to access the wider public through advertising. Advertising is a paid form of publicity aimed at a large audience by businesses with a view to increasing sales. Advertisements, unlike propaganda, have clearly stated sponsors. Through advertising, businesses can communicate with the user of their goods and services. The television allowed for the exponential expansion of advertisement. While older media is still used for advertising, Television’s ability to transmit moving picture and sound put it well above print media and radio (Messaris 2)
to represent that, that I felt like a doll for so long.” Said Cara Delevingne, supermodel.
Advertising and Societies: Global Issues. New York, NY: Peter Land, Inc., 2003. Rpt. In Advertising. Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web 30 July 2015
While it is undeniable that advertising has invaded a number of segments in our lives, it is equally undeniable that the manner in which advertisers have tried to connect with viewers is highly variable and dependent on the presiding values of the culture in the specific time period, which the ad was released. Ads can either try to suggest that a specific product cultivates these desirable values or on the other hand they can attempt to suggest that people that already have these values will use these products. Throughout the course of this paper, three ads from three time periods; 1935-1940: Great Depression, 1941-1945: World War II, 1946-1960: Postwar, and their subsequent dominating historical events will be examined to determine how the
Thank you for reminding me that I completely forgot about media advertisements. First of all, it will start with many people knowing the university.
Very few viewers of adverts decode images passively. Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright argue that there are very few viewers who decode images passively because there is no mass culture. This is because each viewer has different contexts and social backgrounds meaning that the images they view can be decoded in various ways because of their frame of reference and background. However the subject of how audiences decode and view media including advertising can be seen in various different perspectives particularly with Karl Marx and Louis Althusser who have similar but different theories around audiences as passive and active parts of the decoding process. Through Stuart Hall also we can understand the different ways audiences can receive a advert.
Media influence is the force by which ideas are injected into people’s lives shaping the very culture of society. This influence is masqueraded through hidden media message, resulting in a change in its audience which can be positive or negative, abrupt or gradual, short term or long term. Although mass media’s influential effect can reach a wide ranged audience as an agent of socialization the responsibility to contain what it releases has not been of importance. “The media’s socially significant obligations are formally ignored.” (A.S. Zapesotskii, 2011, p 9). Media messages can be exerted through many different outlets such as TV shows, music, movies, commercials, news, magazines, games which are all gravitated to entertain audiences ultimately offering personal gratification that can sometimes blur the lines between reality and
Today, media is surrounding us, whether it is television, films, magazines, games, radio, music, the news, and even billboards and posters, and we don’t even acknowledge it, unless it hits us in the face. Along with this media, comes different audience, and different reactions. The
Advertising is one of the channels of social communication. The system of social communication provides not only the preservation and rebroadcast achievements of culture and cultural norms and everyday practices, but it is also a crucial part of the process of inculturation personality which is essential to the processes of social development as a whole. An important event in the evolution of modern mass culture was the so-called “visual turn” resulting from the multimedia revolution of XX-XXI centuries.This revolution led to the dominance of visual cultural forms, including outdoor advertising as a mass phenomenon culture.
ADVERTISEMENT AS A CULTURAL PRODUCT VALUES, PRACTISES AND CULTURAL SYMBOLS REPRODUCED IN THE JAPANESE COMMERCIALS
The media is not a solid content in itself but instead a wide term enveloping a diverse variety of content to give to the general population, or divisions of the general population, over a scope of stages. There is no shut rundown of content given by the media: news, legislative issues, business, current undertakings, stimulation, motoring, cultivating, religion, home adornment, style, nourishment, big name and way of life are a percentage of the numerous themes secured by the media. Moreover, these themes are given over a period of time, and over different phases.
To be an effective marketer, one must acknowledge that cultures may vary drastically around the world, and that marketing strategies must be adjusted accordingly. Hofstede’s framework of cultural dimensions helps us understand international values and beliefs by analyzing power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation, and indulgence. The company that I have chosen to analyze is Nivea and its commercials regarding their body lotions targeted to women in the United Kingdom and India. A comparative analysis between these two commercials reveal the cultural differences and marketing strategies that Nivea adopted to sell its products in these two different markets.
In every society in this world, media plays a very important role as sources of information on what is occurring not only within the local community but also in international in the formation of public opinion and have been recognized as constitutive of social reality in modern society . Media thus act as a mirror that reflects the happenings in society and are regarded as a barometer of society .