More Powerful Than a Locomotive

Before I begin, let me note that I actually do appreciate and enjoy advertising, and unlike many people: commercials. Although many of us do not have legitimate training in analyzing advertisements, we can still have a critical eye when it comes to analyzing the effects ads have on individuals and society as a whole.

Hi, I'm your kitchen.

Try this for a second: imagine your future. How will it be different from what it is now? What style of furniture will be in your ideal home? What type of car will you drive? Where will you work, what's the environment like there and what will you wear to work? You may think beyond the glorified white-picket-fence as your ideal home/lifestyle.

Advertising manufactures individual identities, combining consumerism and status distinction to add to the machinery that is our capitalist economy. Even our leisure time is commodified (think vacations, theme parks, expensive dinners); these activities define our interests, and to some extent, our social status and identities. Our perception of our individual selves is pre-determined by a handful of (mostly) men and women sitting around a large table in a conference room. We pursue the goods and services created by these people, who tell us that we can define ourselves by being surrounding ourselves with materials, and identifying with these materials. We are defined by the music we listen to, the way we walk, the way we talk and the way we cut our locks. We consume to create an image to market ourselves to be employed, and then we work to consume. What we think is the source of our identity will end up being the very thing that kills us.

But to crown advertising as our social kryptonite may be a bit extreme, dontchathink?

So I'll share with you other things (not just advertisements) I find clever, subtle, obnoxious, funny, heartwarming, elitist, offensive, whatever-google-can-find-me to note how social norms may be constructed to create (or repel) consumer preferences and consequently: individual identities. If we're already bombarded everyday by branding and advertisements, then what's a few more on my blog? :)