MACS 110 | Introduction to Mass Communication Theory translate
Propaganda back to MACS 110 Week 5
Many of us think of Adolf Hitler or Josef Stalin when political propaganda is discussed. Hitler had been impressed by the effectiveness of Allied propaganda in World War I. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why the Nazi party carried out such an extensive campaign under his leadership.
Advertising
Advertising is another form of propaganda in that it also encourages a way of thinking - followed by action. Critics of our hypercommercial culture, such as Stuart Ewen in 'The Ad and the Ego' argue that advertising is indeed the most relentless and insidious form of propaganda because it's inescapable and continually finds new ways to reach us through, for example, stealth advertising including product placement techniques. Further criticism is levelled that ads are a form of propaganda because of their frequent generation of false needs.
Public Service Announcement
Propaganda also includes messages (calls to action) one can consider positive, as opposed to evil, alien, or purely commercial. One such example might be to dissuade people from drinking and driving, or to remain silent about domestic violence. Many public service announcements are designed to enhance safety.
Cause Marketing
Advertising and public service announcements can be combined to create cause marketing, such as product association with fighting cancer. While one might consider it in poor taste to use slogans such as "clean and cure", the Arm & Hammer product packaging makes clear the lengths some businesses will go to publicize their products.
Sponsored Educational Materials
When ads and education are combined, they're known as sponsored educational materials. Indeed, advertisers see the classroom as virgin marketing territory in that it's supposed to be the one place students are free of corporate influence. This makes it particularly attractive. The following ads from Channel One are aimed at advertisers who want to reach students in the classroom. Because they're designed by advertisers for advertisers, the message is explicit concerning what it promises to deliver - i.e. eyeballs and ears of "tweens" as a captive audience in school. The intent is to build life-time brand loyalty to products. To make students members of the Pepsi, Nike, or Snickers, family, or devoted CNN, Fox, or CHUM viewers. This can also be considered propaganda.
Corporate Advertising for Sponsored Educational Materials:
