'Nostalgia' for Sale

The newly elected chairman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Ron Berger, one of the most prominent and influential figures in the advertising industry, makes an important statement:

Consumer protection will remain the major rationale for the

regulation of advertising in the 21st century. False and dece-

-ptive ads are unacceptable competitive practices in an era

that will test the survivability of many firms. (Ron Berger,

"Advertising Regulation in the 21st Century: The Underlying

Global Forces")

Berger points out that in the competitive world of retail business, unfair advertising practices are not acceptable and hence, the advertising industry must be regulated with the sole intention of safeguarding consumers. Ad executives are devising unique methods of advertising in order to evade such regulations. "Old is gold" is the trend for the advertising industry of the 21st century; advertisers are selling nostalgia as a way of making commercials highly persuasive to their audience.

English: Budweiser beverage delivery truck, Wayne ...

1956 DuMont Television Advertisement Readers Diges...

English: Different sizes of Oreo cookies. From lef...

Nabisco, the company that produces Oreo Cookies, has always been known for outstanding commercials. Yet one "Oreo Cookie" commercial is perhaps the most memorable. First, she twists the cookie apart and then, this cute little girl with her hair in pigtails proceeds to dunk the cookie in a tall glass of milk, immersing her entire hand. The camera then shifts to show the child's grandfather eating the cookie in the same manner. This advertisement aims at leading the older generations to reminisce about the simple pleasures of their childhood, like enjoying a cookie. This nostalgic commercial relates to Stephen King's opinion in "My Creature from the Black Lagoon":

Yet it is parents ... often discovering goosebumps on their own

arms as they rediscover what terrified them as children ...

because what the good horror film does above all else is to

knock the adult props out from...