East x West: ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING

By FICMAF 19:08 Blog Task

The field of advertising is one of the many creative industries within the area of mass communication.

In relation to mass communication, advertising refers to marketing, aiming towards informing and influencing audiences through mass media.

Advertising Documentary: Art & Copy

The documentary above delivers a positive insight into the field of advertising.

Below, we provide a brief summary of the documentary addressing our thoughts, opinions, perception and impression in the field of advertising.

Written by: Averille Goh

Every day in our lives, we are constantly bombarded with advertisements for a certain product be it on television, billboards, newspapers, radio or magazines. Through this documentary directed by Dough Pray about advertising and inspiration, we get to learn more about the history of the advertising industry in America from a different perspective and how certain campaigns have made an impact in our life and culture. Among the stories behind America’s famous advertising campaigns in this documentary are “Just Do It”, “Where’s the Beef?”, “Got Milk?”, “I Want My MTV” and “Think Different” and how these advertisements have helped boost sales for their product. It also tells us that we do not hate advertising, just bad advertisements. In my opinion, I believe this is very true because anyone would continue watching an advertisement that has captured their interest and attention, but skip an advertisement that they think is boring.

Advertising in this modern generation has evolved and is completely different from advertising seen in the last century. In the past before technology was invented, advertisements could only be seen on magazines, newspapers and billboards whereas after the invention of technology such as smartphones and tablets, advertisements can literally be seen everywhere and anywhere. Consumers in our generation are also more skeptical about buying a certain product that is being advertised as advertising companies prioritize on making higher sales revenue against other companies instead of prioritizing what is better for their consumers. However, advertising companies in this modern era are able to influence customers into buying their product with the help of bloggers or famous celebrities on social media to advertise their product. In my opinion, this form of advertising works as consumers would want to buy the product thinking, “My favourite blogger is using this product, it must be good/works!”. Therefore, it is important for everyone to read up on reviews on a particular product to know what they are buying and not be influenced by what they see/read.

From the documentary, Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” was inspired by the last words of a murderer, “Let’s do it” before he was executed in Utah. The “Just Do It” campaign has given me a positive impression, because I find it amazing how a three letter word is able to change and inspire so many of us around the world, including myself. The slogan has inspired me to not hold back and always finish what I have started. As said by Liz Dolan, a former head of marketing in Nike, “People are applying it to just everything that they have been putting off or procrastinating about or avoiding dealing with.” Nike’s mission initially was to inspire people to participate in sports and they have done so much more than that including ‘importing’ jogging into America when people started running more for fitness.

I have discovered a slight interest in advertising through this video as it requires a lot of creativity to excel in this industry. It has also taught me to overlook things from different perspectives and see what others don’t, turning it into art. Creativity is the key to great advertising and it is what captures the hearts of customers. Advertising in this generation lacks creativity as advertising agencies are not given the chance to expose their creativity in their work with clients wanting only a thirty second long advertisement about its product features which is not long enough to convince a customer into buying a product. It would be interesting to pursue a career in this field as I would be surrounded by creative minds and aspire to help others through my line of work.

Without advertising, society will be uninformed about the latest products available in the market. Producers of a certain product will not be able to inform their customers about their latest products and will not be able to estimate the amount of supply that needs to be produced when there is no demand. However, without advertising, society will only spend their money on buying what they need instead of what they think they need. Apart from that, without advertising, society would be able to get right to what they are searching for on the internet and wherever they go without being bombarded with ads.

In conclusion, a world with advertising has made both a positive and negative impact on society. Society is too dependent on advertising as it helps in almost every aspect of our lives such as creating jobs, giving information to customers about a product they are buying, and improving a country’s economic development. The documentary hopes to inspire artists and writers around the world to be more creative with their work and create more meaningful and entertaining advertisements instead of advertisements that one would be eager to skip. I would recommend everyone to watch this documentary as I have gained a lot of new information about the advertising industry and how it works. Besides, there are a few life lessons one can gain through this documentary such as independence and how one has to keep failing in order to succeed in the future.

Written by: Farah Hana

Art & Copy is a documentary about advertising. It shows the audience the processes behind advertising and allows them to come to the realisation that advertising is not just to manipulate people. The film also brings in advertisements from the past years, which help the audience compare the level of artistry between now and then. Although labelled as a documentary, Art & Copy introduces the subject of advertising in a humorous, flashy and thoughtful way. It is impossible to doubt the film’s capability of attracting an audience.

The idea behind the documentary’s flexibility in interviewing made the film more absorbing. It was not an ordinary, straightforward interview, instead, the laid-back attitude that most of the interviewees had, created a facile element, which suited the theme of the documentary. The interviewee’s ability to freely say what they wanted without being censored had unknowingly added humour into the mix. The film would most likely succeed in captivating the younger audience, as well as the older.

The vintage advertisements that had been included in the documentary added more insights on the advertising industry before it became what it is now. These old advertisements, although absurd, ridiculous, and heartfelt, were truly entertaining and had managed to touch every emotion while still maintaining the main goal of advertising; to encourage an individual to take some action. Though, only a few advertisements in this country are able to connect with our emotional feelings, most are quick to tell the audience what they need to buy and where they can get it. Even though advanced technology exists at the tip of our fingertips, green screens and explosions are not consistently capable of intriguing people. While it is easy to throw information at people, being able to touch someone’s heart is proven to be difficult. The advertisement industry in this country has a lot more room for improvement.

When it comes to advertisements, specifically commercials on televisions, taking a seat on the couch and watching it is not difficult. The thought of how everything was put together or even how long it took to think of an idea for an advertisement would rarely cross a person’s mind. It never crossed my mind until I watched this documentary and the process of advertising still baffles me. It is an incredible skill to create clips that are, not only short, but entertaining enough to capture the audiences’ short attention span. The advertisement has to also be sufficiently informative to allow the audience to grab a hold of the concept behind it. Whether the advertisers choose to manipulate or persuade, the entirety of advertisements require a great deal of wit and artistry which is what most of the advertisers possess. Altogether, the advertising industry seems like a tedious yet completely innovative job.

A thirty second ad for The Super Bowl costs up to $2.7 million in the year 2009, whereas now it is worth $4.4 million to $4.5 million. In the 1970’s, the average city dweller received about 1000 advertising messages every day. Today it is closer to 5000. This proves that advertisements are only advancing and multiplying albeit it is starting to become pollution. 65% of Americans believe they are “constantly bombarded with too much” advertising. But I believe everything is an ad; graffiti on a wall, a music video, a song lyric, a movie, a placement of a product. It is unimaginable to escape something that is always around us.

Some scenes that were included in the film had been delivered in an interesting way. The ones that stood out were the scenes that provided facts with a beautiful landscape in the background. Not only was it descriptive, these scenes gave a visual to the facts that would usually be ignored if written in a textbook. When the words on the screen had faded, what was left was an aesthetically pleasing view of day-to-day places. The simplicity was effective in giving the audience the chance to unconsciously connect the words on the screen to the view in the backdrop.

As Jeff Goodby mentioned:

"People don’t mind being sold to if they understand why it’s happening and they enjoy the process. At the same time, you know, I would hope that people understand the brands can be dangerous. They’re like a TV channel that immediately your body locks into, and if you like them, you’ll listen. You’re like a dog waiting to have something happened, and it’s a dangerous kind of attention and it can be abused. Now I think the biggest abuse is just when people just treating other people like idiots. You know, they treat them like they don’t have a good sense of humour; they treat them like they’re stupider than the advertisers, that’s the biggest crime."

This quote, to me, although lengthy, kept replaying in my mind over and over again. In learning about the mass communication, theories constantly flowed into my mind and created a more perceptive version of myself. It gave me a sense of accomplishment that I understood what was being taught.

George Lois’ demeanor throughout the film was what entertained me the most. He creates the illusion that constructing ideas for an advertisement is simple. The passion in his voice convinced me of his love for advertising and it provoked a sense of jealousy. Lois is fortunate for owning a job he is fond of while others complain daily. It allowed the feeling of acceptance for wanting to do something one loves even if he/she is constantly told that they have no future in it.

Art & Copy has shed a light on the advertising industry. In watching the film, it did not feel forced in educating the audience. The documentary would be able to inspire any student majoring in advertising and any students who are still indecisive. Although I am still not choosing to pursue a career in this field, it does not ignore the fact that advertising requires a great deal of talent and is not an industry whereby people think is irrelevant.

Advertising has become an important factor for every company. In a more subtle way, advertising is also important for the advertisers. Without advertising, it would stop people for wanting to create stories and convince people of something. Moreover, advertising has become one of the components that many satellites exist. The relationship between satellites and advertisements is simple enough to understand; without advertisements there would be no satellites and without satellites, the shows on TV would be non-existent.

Art & Copy is an informative film and has left several impressions on me. The scenes, quotes and interviews put together created an ingenious film. As George Lois mentioned in the documentary, “advertising is poison gas. Advertising should tear you up, it should choke you, you should get the chills and maybe you should pass out when you watch it.”

Written by: Nur Batrisyia

Art & Copy is a documentary film directed by Doug Pray about the field of advertising. The film introduces prominent visionaries - Lee Clow, Hal Riney, George Lois, Mary Wells, Jeff Goodby, Rich Silverstein, Phyllis K. Robinson, Dan Wieden, and David Kennedy whom revolutionized advertising during the golden age. Art & Copy explores the creative minds mastering the ability to grab the attention of millions through the launch of inspirational and influential advertising campaigns.

The field of advertising has without a doubt evolved throughout the years, increasing dramatically in the 20th century. Phyllis K. Robinson stated that Doyle Dane Bernbach, one of the world’s largest advertising company, started out with only 14 members before taking over the advertising business. Before the ascendancy of Bill Bernbach, advertising was perceived to be an ingrown mediocrity for years. However, Bernbach had an entire new force to advertising by combining copywriters and art directors into a single team. Bernbach’s creativity and simplicity landed him an admirable legacy in the advertising field. Presently, advertising is a global form of marketing communication.

George Lois is truly a positive role model in the field of advertising. He is charismatic, spontaneous, imaginative and passionate. During his career in the advertising field, Lois rejected the society system and status quo, believing in the prospect of revolution through advertisements. He began creating heart-gripping graphic statements relating to life. In his own words, “I was always trying to sell products but also always making a point. Advertising can be, should be and at times has been revolutionary”. Lois established the term “The Big Idea” - creating an emotional connection with the public by pushing the norm of boundaries to attract attention. “Seemingly outrageous” are words to live by in the advertising field. In similar context, Lois turned struggling designer Tommy Hilfilger eminent overnight through massive advertising campaigns. As a result, Tommy Hilfiger burst into a global multi-billion dollar business.

Mary Wells, a theater actress turned advertiser transformed advertising print to theater. The dramatic theatrical experience in advertisements received positive feedback and has proven to have made life extra perky. Such advertisements has the ability to manufacture various feelings and emotions. In addition, society is able to relate and impact. Relating to mass communication, advertisements should be able to encourage, persuade, manipulate and reassure the public. Linking advertising with humor, explicit, exaggeration and illustrations expresses cognitive and emotive emotion.

Advertising is a challenging yet powerful industry. The business requires creativity and determination. As Charlie Moss mentioned, a terrific advertiser has two qualities - salesman and entertainer. Companies are constantly competing for the best advertising agencies but neglects the quality of advertisements produced. As a result, some advertisements are forceful, irritating and offensive. Advertisements should be an entertaining form of communication to connect to society. Dan Wieden explains the real risk in advertising is not the challenging convention, rather the will to try to be authentic. Explaining the core of a product will receive agreement from the public, however creating an interesting insight will win assurance and convince the public.

Realizing the decrease in milk sales, Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein took the challenge to improve the revenue of milk. The initial idea was to encourage the consumption of milk. For several years, advertisements promoting milk has been about swallowing gallons of milk, directly imposing the unrealistic idea to the public. Goodby and Silverstein relaunched a healthy beverage into an entertainment form by creating the revolutionary slogan; Got Milk? Despite several critics including the obvious grammatically incorrect sentence, Got Milk? turned into a global phrase. The simple yet catchy slogan thrived an enormous burst in the advertising industry.

A scene I found interesting in the documentary is when David Kennedy presents the words “Fail Harder” scripted on a wall at Wieden & Kennedy. The initial message of the quote was to embrace fear, as failure is a learning process and necessary for creative exploration. Mary Wells argued that fear is an extremely powerful depressant. Failure emerges liberation and determination. In the media industry, I believe bold and confidence is of utmost importance. The desire to fail, learn and improve is vital. Mistakes will eventually form and instill a sense of independence and visionary.

The theme of Art & Copy is to provoke the importance of advertising in a captivating approach. Appearance of advertisements from the past years led a sense of nostalgia and distinction. Advertising – a platform to express and convey artistry is no longer creative and lacks ambition. The media is constantly bombarding us with advertisements, but how many are actually relevant and of quality? While advertisements informs and educates the public, the constant exposure of content-explicit advertising is treacherous. Lee Clow proves that a great advertisement is a celebration of a brand that can be part of our culture as opposed to some form of pollution.

Art & Copy has definitely further enlightened me about the prospects of the field. I am conscious of the lengthy process behind advertising and am competent to ponder, reflect and interpret advertisements as an individual. As someone who enjoys and appreciates art, the documentary struck an interest in myself regarding the advertising industry. While I may not pursue a career in the advertising field, I am intrigued and curious of the creative profession. However, like any other business, advertising requires a great deal of patience and talent. Many are involved in the advertising industry but very few are passionate. As said by Jeff Goodby, advertising is a business of rejection. The process of creating an advertisement kills ideas and consumes time. In addition to avoid depression and stress, the advertising field requires a nurturing environment to promote growth, diversity and creativity.

To conclude, advertising has the ability to aspire a society of unity and communion. The concept and revolution of advertising has led a dual impact - both positive and negative. Life without advertising will certainly be less intrusive and diminishes social standards. However, variety is the spice of life. In order to achieve balance, advertising techniques certainly needs to be refined before exposing to the public.

The exploration of art in the documentary truly inspired me to strive for passion and novelty. Evidently, art holds the power to unity. Wise words by William Bernbach, "An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it".

Written by: Farah Nabila

Advertising is the main source of communication. Who would have thought that the advertising industry could bring people together? The documentary film “Art & Copy” directed by Doug Pray has opened my eye and changed my perception towards advertising. Advertising is so important because it is where a producer can spread news, a business can promote products, and also make an ordinary person become someone prominent in a few hours and in only one click.

In the beginning of this film, George Lois described advertising as a “poison gas”. The reason to support his statement is because advertising can give a person various types of feelings such as giving the viewer the “feels”, making the viewer curious about how effective a particular product is, putting them on a roller coaster ride by coming out with a creative advertisement and much more. Of course, the satellites are the center of communication as it is the most imperative equipment for viewers to have the capacity to access televisions and radios, giving us the opportunity to keep in touch with the world around us.

In this film, they featured Tommy Hilfiger, one of the world’s most famous fashion designer. Tommy Hilfiger had the chance to be renowned in a flash through a risky advertisement he thought would destroy his notoriety in the year 1985. Now, celebrities and people from all around the world are wearing clothes from his clothing line, Tommy Hilfiger. This shows that advertising could change a person’s life forever. It is insane how a simple picture can speak a thousand words. Artists are able to express themselves simply through an advertisement. It is the art that is being advertised that could send out messages and communicate with the viewers.

The “Nike” ad that was shown in this film had amazed me with how powerful advertising is that it could inspire and encourage people into participating in sports. It is incredible how a simple slogan “Just Do It.” could motivate people not just in sports, but also on a daily basis, giving people the strength and motivation to face challenges in life. It amazes me how advertising can make something negative and turn it into something positive, with just 1% of editing and 99% of creativity.

Furthermore, I am impressed with the idea of how they combined comedy, drama, and business together in advertising and commercials. An advertisement does not always have to be all about the business. A fun and creative advertisement can increase a particular business as it would attract the viewers’ attention and interest. I definitely agree to the fact that advertising is all about creativity. It should not be just a normal agency and client discussion. Instead, the agency should discuss with the client and make them forget that they are a client. Both parties should talk and get a little personal to be able to develop new ideas and thoughts.

Lee Clow’s background story has inspired me. Even though he was adopted and had an average life, that did not stop him from doing what he thinks should be done, which is explore the world of advertising. After all that he has been through, his hard work paid off. Now, he is the worldwide chairman and chief grader officer. His story has roused me and motivated me in the sense that a person could succeed only after making sacrifices.

In the advertising industry, I believe that it is not just about the money and simply giving the customers the entertainment they ask for. It is about working together as a team to make the world a place filled with creativity. Everyone in the industry is excessively occupied with numbering their benefits, meanwhile there are people out there who are desperate to unleash the beauty of art in advertising and expose them to the public.

This documentary has definitely enlightened me about the future prospects of the field of advertising. Yes, I am indeed interested in pursuing a career in this field as I consider myself as an art appreciator. There are many kinds of art. Specifically, I am attracted to anything that involves music and videography. TV commercials are audiovisuals. It has both audio and sound component. In addition, I do like to explore the varieties of art there are as it is a hobby of mine to be adventurous and discover new things.

To conclude, the society without advertising would be tedious and dull. Without advertising, the world would be missing out on one of the most important things that has brought us together despite our differences. Also, the employment rate would be low and that will bring down the economy of a certain country. Lastly, a corporation would not be able to run their business without the existence of advertising because they do not have the accessibility to reach out to the public and to promote their products.

As the world evolved, so did the competition. Billboards, radio, and TV are all competing for potential customer’s attention. As the audience, it is important for us to spend some time and analyse on what the message is behind an advertisement.