I believe that advertising is a big part of our culture even though it seems as an almost anti-culture idea. Mark Crispin Miler, a man featured in the film, states that as culture becomes all about advertising, it loses the ability to be a culture. Wasn't advertising made by us? Isn't it a creation of our culture? I see advertisements as a key object in the advance of our culture and how we communicate. An effective advertisement is not only art in my terms, but also shows great understanding in our understanding of ourselves (if that part was confusing to read, read it again... I couldn't fin a better way of saying it)
The idea that we can study ourselves and our culture and from it make more effective advertisements should not be taken lightly. It shows that we have some kind of understanding of our complex culture.
The more effective ads seemed to be the ones that didn't actually advertise the product, but the culture and belief around it. Since I am admittedly in love with Apple, I can say that whatever they were doing was affective. Because I don't just see an iPod ad and want it because of the ad. I am totally into the Apple "lifestyle" I understand that it is a creation of these ad agencies and even the company itself, but by doing so they gave some kind of a place to belong. As humans we al want to belong in a certain place, even if it's more than just one. That's how I feel with companies like Apple and BMW. Although I don't drive a BMW...yet, I do love the design and culture that the company creates. I can use these companies as a way of describing a part of me. Like I said before, they aren't a representation of where I belong, but they do tell people about my "taste".
The new factor that determines the success of an ad company and also challenges it is figuring out how to turn the products into a shared belief and way of life that the consumers of the products all have. The companies with these kind of ads have been the ones that have stuck around the longest and had the most success. It is important to create a culture around a certain company image so the ads companies present aren't lost in all the "clutter". Doing so creates a more complex culture and many cultures within it, but the idea that some of these cultures are ust creations of a company trying to sell you its product is a little bit concerning.
(I'm pretty sure I my thoughts here might be a bit confusing, but this topic is REALLy deep and gives me bit of an uneasy feeling... I guess I'll calm my thoughts with my iPod... hahaha)
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