Some Psychological Aspects of Advertising. Image Making.

As the problem of sales gets increasingly complicated, more functional values of a product do not appear enough for it to make sales, that is why some additional values are needed for the product to become more attractive.

Advertisers in the USA have found a way-out in ascribing to products some additional psychological values which have nothing to do with their real qualities. For, indeed, it is easier to find some values in the sphere of advertising than in the sphere of production. Advertising creates a certain image of the product. Thus, Marlboro cigarettes turn out to be not only “cigarettes of Virginia tobaccos” but “cigarettes for real men”.

Originally images were used for distinguishing similar products. Some 30 years ago there existed more than 300 brands of tinned corn and more than 10000 brands of wheat flour in the USA. Nowadays the quantity of brands has even more increased. There would be a chaos in the market if it were not for advertising because images created by it help identify the product and determine a customer’s behaviour at a point of purchase. Hence, competition is shifted from the sphere of production to the sphere of image making. The product with a better image is the winner in the specific market.

The image, however, is such a kind of ideal which starts working only after having gained publicity. And in this respect the mass media appear to be most helpful. For instance, the Standard Oil Company sponsored some programmes on TV and some articles in the press in attempt to smooth away unpleasant impression of its military profits. During that campaign the Company was announced “a fighter for progress in American science”.

Image makers often resort to linguostylistic devices to make their images both persuasive and influential with the customer, e.g. “Chicago University is not the best in the world, but it is the best in the city” (understatement).

The image may contain subjective-evaluative attributes: “finger-licking-good-chicken”, “pleasant-to-touch skin”, etc. The image is usually simple, no matter what kind of product is advertised. This includes extra thinking and brings forth stereotype reactions. Thus, the best kind of image is simple but sufficiently original to ensure memorability. For instance, if earlier a soap promised “cleanliness”, nowadays it promises “beauty”.

Actually every factor is taken into account by modern image making, psychological factors including. Hence women do not buy “make-up kits” but “hope, promise”. People do not buy “oranges” but “vital force”. Today they do not sell “a new suitcase” but “feeling of self-importance”. One does not buy a car but “a positive life philosophy”. It is assured that a cigar symbolizes a tough guy, that is why businessmen and gangsters should smoke only cigars, etc. No wonder there are over 82 institutions helping American business and its advertising to become efficient.

It is difficult to enumerate all the methods and patterns of image making. One of the newest methods involves the employment of “stars” in advertising. For example, a famous footballer happens to have a competent knowledge of how to make the best use of a certain typewriter, and a feather-brained beauty Twiggy (who knows nothing about the tragedy of Hiroshima) becomes an ideal for millions of American girls.

First of all image makers reveal people’s secret tastes and desires and control their behaviour speculating on their weaknesses or complexes. They convince people that they are clever, reasonable, shrewd. And all this for foisting the product on a customer, for controlling him like a puppet!

Even Americans themselves understand that “nobody believes the nonsense in any advertisements… Everyone is affected by the mist of deception which we continually breathe. The trouble is that we prefer to breathe that mist”. Modern society makes a point of cultivating stereotype mentality. Human consciousness can never be completely devoid of ideas and ideals. It is the society that is responsible for the minds of its members. Having deprived people of real values the very society cultivates false needs and ideas. And it is an ad image that helps fill up the vacuum in people’s mind. If images help advertise various goods, why should they not be used for advertising a certain mode of life? “Spread Your Wings! Don’t Miss Your Chance! Try Our Product!”

Answer the questions:

1. Which way-out have the U.S.advertisers found?

2. What does advertising create in general?

3. How can you describe the image?

4. What do image makers often use in their work? Why?

5. Which are other means of image creating?

6. What about using celebrities (stars) in advertising?

7. What do image makers reveal?

8. Why do they do it?

9. Does modern society make a point of cultivating stereotype mentality? Why?

10. Should images be used for creating a certain mode of life? Explain yourself.