Media Analysis #1

Here is my media analysis of a spoof ad from Adbusters.

Image via Adbusters

What is the context in which this piece was created? Think not just about the historical moment, but also about the people who made it, what motivated them, where they accessed funding/support, what political goals lay behind its creation, etc.

For my media analysis, I have chosen the spoof ad above called "Consumption Will Fill the Void" which comes from the online magazine, Adbusters. This Vancouver-based non-profit organization was founded in 1989 by Kalle Lasn and Bill Shmalz, and was created to topple existing power structures and ideologies. The idea first came about when Lasn and Shmalz were outraged by a TV ad that released in 1988 from the British Columbia Council of Forest Industries which they deemed was a deceptively anti-environmentalist propaganda. They responded by producing an anti-ad called "Talking Rainforest", yet was not approved to run in media platforms like CBC as the company believed it was too controversial and too much of advocacy advertising. Therefore, Lasn and Shmalz created Adbusters to demonstrate their work and engage in culture jamming through spoof ads, videos, and articles.

Adbusters describes itself as as a form of anti-advertising as they believe that advertising plays a central role in creating and maintaining consumer culture. The advertising industry often goes beyond great effort and expense to associate desire and identity with commodities. Ads have colonized discursive and public spaces through the appearances in movies, TV, sports, events, and even schools, as a way to permeate the modern culture. Therefore, Adbusters hopes to combat these structures and negative effects that come from mainstream advertising and empower audiences to regain control of culture and break apart from capitalistic ideals. The organization is completely independent and does not receive any funding from the advertising industry (print or online), corporate sponsorships, or government grants, but relies entirely on their readers. Adbusters operates a not-for-profit organization, meaning that every dollar raised through the sales of magazines and other merchandise goes directly back into their campaigns and the production of the magazine. Ultimately, Adbusters take its pride of being a global network of activists, artists, writers, educators, and more who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age.

What kind of social change is this piece arguing for or contributing to? How does it go about articulating that need for social change? Is it a direct statement, or implicit?

The spoof ad I have chosen is a direct statement of society's reliance on consumerism to fill in the gaps in our lives. Based on its appearance, the ad depicts a dark and creepy tone, and resembles that of a poster for a horror film. The black and white colour scheme seems to demonstrate a lack of life and colour, and the white background points to a form of"nothingness". One can see how the darkened eyes in the embodies the void or emptiness that we as humans may feel at times. It also seems to resemble a possessed being, much like a demonic possession, which in this case we can treat the demon as consumer culture itself possessing us. These design features point to how we as a society have been heavily influenced by consumerism. We often look to commodities to fill the void whether that be a boring job (ex. turning to online shopping while in the office) or a lack of confidence (ex. looking to products to gain that confidence). The look of "death" and mortality also depicts the emptiness we still feel even as we've filled up our voids with consumerism, concluding that consumption ultimately does not satisfy the emptiness that sometimes lurks inside us. Overall, the ad exposes society's dark outlet and calls out our passivity and subordination to consumerist culture, the market system, and other dominant discourses.

Why was this piece created in this medium? How does it take advantage of the specific characteristics of this medium?

The spoof ad was created as a poster to capture the attention of viewers and clearly send a message. By using posters, it is easy for illustrators to manipulate the imagery, colour, and tone to impose an effect. Images are also the most universal way to describe and transmit information. And today's digital age has allowed viewers to send content with just one click making it easier to share through different platforms and faster to spread awareness. As mentioned, spoof ads were created to align with the guerilla warfare and highly resemble memes, which are also a form of popular culture jamming that are constantly being created by online users and spread out on every platform. Therefore, Adbusters have definitely used the medium of postering and digital ads to the most advantage allowing the spread and popularity of the brand.

Identify one interesting feature of how this piece of media was published that you could draw on or be inspired by in your own future creations.

I found this piece to be very intriguing and powerful. However, what I loved most is its dark, creepy, and haunting aesthetic. It's often the horror aspect that tends to grab people's attention. And the poster does a good job of capturing the horror yet mysterious element that makes viewers want to engage with the ad. Another thing to note is how the text directly states its message. While complexity in ads can be powerful, many also enjoy the clarity and simplicity that comes with many ads. In fact, the clarity through the text compliments the darkness of the imagery as it provokes emotion and thought within audiences without them having to struggle with understanding what the ad is about. Overall, it has a really cool and intriguing look that I believe can transcend to others the way it has spoken to me.

Do you think this publishing medium is appropriate to the social change goals of the creator? Why or why not?

Yes, I believe that this spoof ad is appropriate and aligns well with the social change goals of the creators of Adbusters. As I mentioned, the dark aesthetic and direct aspect compliment each other well that it was able to capture my attention and provoke thought. When I first saw the ad, I knew exactly what it meant and what social issue it was tackling; yet, I still felt compelled to gaze at it as I thought about how consumer culture has affected me. I immediately understood and related to the message that the ad was sending as I often am someone who turns to consumerism to fill my own void. The dark aesthetic aligned with how I often feel when I want to fill the void with commodity. It provoked enough negative feelings within me that I do believe this ad has accomplished its exact goal. Therefore, the poster definitely hit the bullseye in performing as an anti-advertisement.