Advertising: Ideas, Not Products

Essay by milanitalyUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, October 2004

download word file, 3 pages 0.0

Advertising executive and author William Bernbach once said, "Advertising isn't a science. It's persuasion. And persuasion is an art" (Creative). Advertising is used to attract public attention to a product or business and hopefully increase sales. Today's ad campaigns will stop at almost nothing to do this. Their powers of persuasion are almost limitless and they vary according to the medium of the ad. Often, advertisements sell consumers on an image, lifestyle or feeling and have little to do with the integrity or basis of the product itself.

The ad campaign for Calvin Klein's fragrance "Eternity" sells a vision. One layout in particular in November's "In Style" magazine features two black and white photos on a white background. In one, model Christy Turlington is lying in bed with a handsome man, model Aaron Ward, who is sleeping; her hand is placed on his chest as she proudly displays a wedding band on her hand.

The other shows Christy and her "husband" Aaron both awake and lying down with a young girl, presumably their daughter who is holding a bunny. It appears as if they are posing for a photo because the father and daughter are both looking directly into the camera. In the middle of these two photos on a white background in black letters are the words, "love, sweet love." Hillary Dart, President of Calvin Klein Company said about the campaign, "Eternity has always been about love, family love and commitment. With this campaign, we are adding new intimate, life-evolving images to that message" (Fashion). It gives the viewer the sense that they are peeking into the life the models are portraying. With the words "Eternity" boldly at the top of the ad and two bottles in the corner at the bottom, the ad persuades the viewer to believe...