The group task was with Sarah, Jasper and Dan. We had to look at an extract from Ways of Seeing by Berger, J. which are his views on consumerism. Our extract we looked at discussed how the purpose of publicity is there to make us marginally dissatisfied with what we have right now, and how our lives can be improved by what we buy. It also addresses how having money is seen as a way to overcome our anxieties and how sexual desires sell.
We then had to find some examples of advertising that supported the ideas in the text. I thought of the Maybelline advert for 'Baby Lips'.
It's a common theme in advertising that youth equals beauty, and people buy beauty products which are told will make them appear more youthful, as it makes you more desirable. A baby is obviously a symbol of youth, so is it too far to suggest that you want lips as soft as a baby's - as this can be interpreted that the product is sexualising innocence. There is a quote in the extract which says 'If you are able to buy this product you will be lovable. If you cannot buy it, you will be less lovable', and it can be applied to this advertising campaign because if other girls buy the product and have soft lips what men want, then other women will want to buy it because they don't want to feel left out and have people think they don't have soft lips.
If you don't see an advertisement you have no need for it, and have gone through life not needing a particular product, but as soon as you see an advertisement telling you it will satisfy your desires, you then 'need' the product.
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