Iconography and it's impact
- Thread starter louixo
- Start date
Great find on that video. It absolutely nails the subtle power of iconography and subliminal messages in advertising. It can be found all over the place, wherever an important message needs to be delivered, whether the important message is right there up front, or the more important, subtle message. You see it in everything from tried and true photography techniques to the FedEx logo with the arrow. This is something I've studied since the first time I encountered it. I don't like my mind being manipulated, so I tend to recognize it when I see it. The example the video gives of the Obama home page with the logo being at the center of all things cherished, with all things cherished quickly fading away, hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I saw it. Scary and brilliant at the same time. Brilliant because it is, and scary because I know how many people will be unconsciously influenced by it.
Some people will tell you that no one will vote for a candidate based on a branded logo, or some esoteric unfathomable iconography, yet that's exactly what people do, whether they realize it or not. People buy Corn Flakes because an anthropomorphic tiger tells you they're great, and Snuggles because a cute snuggly little teddy bear that reminds of of your childhood and all things snugly tells you to. We've got fully grown men dressed in fruit costumes that get us to buy tidy whiteys and, and that pink bunny conjures up all kinds of mental images besides how long an Energizer Battery will last. People get manipulated into making the smallest of everyday decisions.
Some people will tell you that no one will vote for a candidate based on a branded logo, or some esoteric unfathomable iconography, yet that's exactly what people do, whether they realize it or not. People buy Corn Flakes because an anthropomorphic tiger tells you they're great, and Snuggles because a cute snuggly little teddy bear that reminds of of your childhood and all things snugly tells you to. We've got fully grown men dressed in fruit costumes that get us to buy tidy whiteys and, and that pink bunny conjures up all kinds of mental images besides how long an Energizer Battery will last. People get manipulated into making the smallest of everyday decisions.
I guess, but I did NOT vote for Obama, don't wear Fruit of the Loom or eat Sugar Frosted Flakes and the only horse food I eat is oat meal. I also use if for carp bait. In fact, I can't think of much of anything that I buy due to a commercial. I am even less likely to buy something if they advertise or have slick adds. I am to contrary for that. Do you really believe that a lot of people REALLY fall for all that stuff? I don't think that I do. Do I?
Everything we see, hear and experience influences us. Everything. Why do you think pharmaceutical companies advertise prescription medication on television? It's not so the doctors will be influenced enough to prescribe it, that's for sure. It's because people fall for that stuff.
You may not eat Tony's brand of cereal, or wear Fruit of the Loom briefs, but you probably eat some brand of oats, and likely, hopefully, wear some kind of underwear. I'll bet you even buy batteries, be they Energizer or CopperTop or something familiar. Some of the best advertising minds in history put together some of the most successful campaigns in history during WWII. Loose Lips Sink Ships and Rosey the Riveter were two highly successful recruiting campaigns, not to mention the Buy Bonds ads. Rosey recruited two million women into the workforce to support the war economy. The underlying theme was that the social change required to bring women into the workforce was a patriotic responsibility for women and employers. Those ads made a tremendous change in the relationship between women and the workplace. Employment outside of the home became socially acceptable and even desirable. Granted, those ads only had minimal subtlety, and the more modern ads run the gamut of in-your-face to extreme subtlety, but the effectiveness cannot be denied.
Never mind that Apple's "Think Different" ad slogan is a grammatical abomination, it used some of history's most innovative thinkers to associate great minds with Apple, and if you used an Apple then you were smart, cutting edge, different, creative, while everyone else was just a mindless lemming. The ads worked. Their original Macintosh "1984" ad had no words in the television commercial, just one subtle hammer over the head after another, interspersed with not-so subtle imagery. It was brilliant.
That Keep America Beautiful crying Indian stabbed everyone in the gut with guilt, and it worked. You drive for FedEx, but I'm sure the brand had nothing to do with your decision. :Think Small" sold a snotload of Volkswagen Beetles. The Marlboro Man killed a snotload of people. While you were getting your well deserved break today at McDonald's, Wendy's was screaming "Where's the beef?" Meanwhile, other folks were getting hammered with "Tastes great, Less filling" and then signed up for four years of being all they could be in the Army, all the while looking at uber-babes wondering "Does she, or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure."
Have a Coke and a smile, my friend. It's the Real Thing.
You may not eat Tony's brand of cereal, or wear Fruit of the Loom briefs, but you probably eat some brand of oats, and likely, hopefully, wear some kind of underwear. I'll bet you even buy batteries, be they Energizer or CopperTop or something familiar. Some of the best advertising minds in history put together some of the most successful campaigns in history during WWII. Loose Lips Sink Ships and Rosey the Riveter were two highly successful recruiting campaigns, not to mention the Buy Bonds ads. Rosey recruited two million women into the workforce to support the war economy. The underlying theme was that the social change required to bring women into the workforce was a patriotic responsibility for women and employers. Those ads made a tremendous change in the relationship between women and the workplace. Employment outside of the home became socially acceptable and even desirable. Granted, those ads only had minimal subtlety, and the more modern ads run the gamut of in-your-face to extreme subtlety, but the effectiveness cannot be denied.
Never mind that Apple's "Think Different" ad slogan is a grammatical abomination, it used some of history's most innovative thinkers to associate great minds with Apple, and if you used an Apple then you were smart, cutting edge, different, creative, while everyone else was just a mindless lemming. The ads worked. Their original Macintosh "1984" ad had no words in the television commercial, just one subtle hammer over the head after another, interspersed with not-so subtle imagery. It was brilliant.
That Keep America Beautiful crying Indian stabbed everyone in the gut with guilt, and it worked. You drive for FedEx, but I'm sure the brand had nothing to do with your decision. :Think Small" sold a snotload of Volkswagen Beetles. The Marlboro Man killed a snotload of people. While you were getting your well deserved break today at McDonald's, Wendy's was screaming "Where's the beef?" Meanwhile, other folks were getting hammered with "Tastes great, Less filling" and then signed up for four years of being all they could be in the Army, all the while looking at uber-babes wondering "Does she, or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure."
Have a Coke and a smile, my friend. It's the Real Thing.
I wear high tech underware, protects me against static attacks. I use Underarmor or polartech, they last for YEARS. I have NEVER seen a polartech ad. I drive for FedEx because I got the best deal from a FedEx owner. Panther and Express one never even called me back.
As opposed to more dynamic, mobile attacks?
dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
I've been a TV junkie all my life so God only knows why I buy the products that I use!
The curious thing I find is that once in a while a commercial comes along that is so good that afterward, I cannot recall what the commercial was for. THESE come to mind.....These good ones defeat the purpose......serves em' right...score one for us!!!
The curious thing I find is that once in a while a commercial comes along that is so good that afterward, I cannot recall what the commercial was for. THESE come to mind.....These good ones defeat the purpose......serves em' right...score one for us!!!
As opposed to more dynamic, mobile attacks?
LOL!! No, static electricity attacks!! The Russians often launched static attacks to "those sensitive" areas to try to keep our population down. That way, in case their "zero population" movement failed they could insure that they kept the available pool of people to man our military down.
In reality I prefer the high tech stuff because it is NOT cotton. I like fabrics that have wicking properties. They are both cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
