The Image Makers/The Mirror Makers /Advertising /Advertising the American Dream:
Nahser, Ron
of a comprehensive view of revelation or peoples' situations. So there are graces The Image Makers by William Meyers. grace. He doesn't know how to explain but not grace, insights but...
...radio...
...R business ethics at De Paul University...
...But at least some considerable part are still the chief source of advertising row arena, we end up narrowing the vi- of its success is based on the fact that it effectiveness...
...their product choice...
...On-campus housing...
...of choice carefully and imaginatively - consumer decisions: price and personal But a better use could be made of the that it believes you can learn to comtestimony - word-of-mouth advertising same skills...
...Schudson's subtitle reveals nerabilities...
...They are, after all, basic...
...Things will not change as a new gener- Meyers concludes with the challenge fac- Rather, they are only producing an espeation of consumers arrives...
...ADVERTISING THE AMERICAN DREAM Roland Marchand University of California, (Exciting $27.50, 448 pp...
...Religious Experience: A World View Academic year degree and non-degree programs...
...Call or write for further information: RON NAHSER, president of Frank C. INSTITUTE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND PASTORAL' MINISTRY Nahser, Inc.-Advertising in Chicago, teaches BOSTON C iLLEGE, DEPT...
...three best ads ever written...
...Still, once again den Persuaders on .the very first page, grace as a supernatural existential that Hans Kung is the first to the fire, and for announcing that Packard's prophecy of would bring us to the radical level where that, as well as the many positive things three decades ago has largely come true, divinity and humanity co-define all in this book, I can only cheer him...
...ideas...
...Schudson's argument about the earlier dig deeper and deeper into the mind, Moving into the fifties, Fox vividly period is certainly confirmed by Roland most recently with the help of the pow- recounts the discussion of philosophies Marchand in Advertising and the Amerierful Values and Life Style (VALS) of selling that went en between Ray can Dream...
...ing does can be applied outside its typical tools used to build advertising cam- We affectively crowd out other more im- narrow focus on selling material prodpaigns...
...intriguing history of how advertising has "Advertising has gone amok in that it has Yes, it had tremendous impact in the cracked the walls of consumer resistance mistaken the surface silliness for the twenties and thirties, but its role today is over the decades...
...However, says Fox presents the professional self- much the same ground but with a perMeyers, it's only a matter of more tinker- criticism of pioneer advertisers like the spective that differs from both Meyers's ing to spot the Baby Boomers' vul- ardent Catholic, Theodore MacManus, and Fox's...
...either constant or, if changing, shifting ing products, Schudson gets to the heart Whatever critics' inclinations toward for reasons far beyond the power of ad- of the matter...
...The account is outlook...
...The usual reason, I suspect, is to expand, Necessary update, and reinforce a generally unfavorable attitude toward this powerful economic force in our society...
...Schudson concludes by asking advertising people to put their proven persuaBOSTON COLLEGE sive talents to work in areas beyond the promotion of standard products...
...Fox concludes much more beFemina, a well-known practitioner, who well written and informative for all those nignly that advertisers are not "hidden says that advertising deals in the open who would like to know how the ads they persuaders" pushing our unseen buttons sores of fear, greed, anger, and hostility...
...once voted one of the American Society...
...convinces you to go into the business, turn, leaves less time and energy for • touch the emotions as well as the you'd better get John Caples's classic, choices of other kinds...
...ty...
...In 1984, one whether and how advertising should be out of every six U.S...
...Meyers also agrees with Galbraith's estimate that if THE IMAGE MAKERS view are far from totally enamored of advertising suddenly vanished, the gross William Meyers advertising, the authors are more in- national product would shrink by over Times Books, $16:95, 242 pp...
...Needless to say, despite early unCHD supports programs that enable people of all races, religions and ethnic backgrounds from every certainty and debate, the more pragmatic region to work together for long-range solutions to voices, in this case literally, won out...
...And there are also other, sion of our vast audience to precisely studies human nature and the dynamics more powerful forces at work in forming those dimensions...
...are much more important...
...I think, more useful for fifty percent...
...It may be ing advertising to conquer new markets...
...Who can forget the glory days when a Vance Packard (The Hidden Persuaders, The Status Global Ministry Seekers) or a John Kenneth Galbraith (The Affluent Society) could crystallize Parish Oriented liberal suspicions of misplaced consumerism...
...played in one of the most important changes in our society, namely the transition from rural to urban culture...
...the saga of In the end, the small difference beexploit each group in society by finding McDonald's: marketing to women...
...Advertising, there- advertising confirmed, denied, or • conclude by asking for specific acfore, is not a war on consumers' minds brought up to date...
...For 16 years CHD has funded over an example, the way that advertisers and 2700 projects that strike at the causes of poverty- agencies wrestled with the questions of biased attitudes and unjust social policies that keep people poor...
...bad, of the American way of life - mirto figure out what the Baby Boomers Stephen Fox's book bears a title simi- roring the existing culture...
...CHESTNUT HILL, MA 02167 NEVILLE BRAYBROOK, a British writer, (617) 552-8440 educator, and critic, is presently at work on an autobiography...
...Particularly important same solid substance of an averagely de- diminished...
...lessons that could be applied by insight that, while advertising may not be • appeal to the real needs of that audi- bearers of any important message...
...want...
...These are self-help projects that are run by Schudson, on the other hand, as a sothe poor people themselves, Enhanced self respect and control over one's destiny are great by-products cial scientist and student of luminaries V of being in the mainstream of American economic life...
...If the advertising business is left unchecked, it will Choice & teasing the tastes eventually run our lives...
...structive and...
...citizens was living below the placed on the new and intrusive medium, poverty level, a 35`i increase over 1978...
...SUMMER COURSES JUNE 22 - JULY 31, 1987 Schudson's views suggest another rea- Two week courses for credit or audit, for continuing education or a degree (M.A., M.Ed...
...The author cites Jerry Della the growth of cable TV...
...The job today is to get Commonweal: 636 people to change their brand choice, not one of having our initial biases about position...
...ecclesiastical permission of Bishop/Religious Christian moralists (Father John F. Superior...
...Substantial financial aid for degree students...
...like Daniel Bell and David Riesman, is interested in the current as well as the "YOU TOGETHER ARE CHR(ST S BODY" past impact of advertising on society...
...son for reading these books besides the SUMMER 1987 FACULTY Bernhard Anderson Gustavo Gutierrez Robert Bellah Monika Heilwig REVIEWERS Mary C. Boys Maria Harris Francine Cardman Robert J. Kennedy DENISE LARDNER CARMODY is professor Michael Cavanagh Joseph Komonchak and chair of religion at the University of Tulsa Adela Yarbor Collins Claire Lowery Bernard Cooke Gabriel Moran where she also directs the Warren Center for James Donahue David Power Catholic Studies...
...but a competitive war among commercial clearly that advertising only focuses on • measure the impact of our message, rivals for a share in a market whose size is what consumers can choose among exist- and adjust our efforts accordingly...
...Prentice-Hall...
...Start with the most critical, suasion so successful...
...de- tween titles of the books by Fox and its weaknesses and deep-seated emo- veloping the market for computers...
...Her most recent books are Thomas Groome Rosemary Radford Ruether Bonded in Christ's Love: An Introduction to Also Available: Ecclesiology (Paulist), and Interpreting the Sabbatical Renewal Program...
...The Mirror Makers is Michael Schudson's Advertising: the puts a high premium on the "five 1's": also filled with fascinating stories, focus- Uneasy Persuasion, which appeared only innovation, introspection, individuality, ing on advertising's early practitioners...
...What more can be expected from the latest crop of books on advertising...
...seriously about pollution, safety, poverty, and peace...
...poverty...
...He doesn't know how to explain but not grace, insights but not a peaceful Meyers quotes Vance Packard's Hidpanentheism, or a high christology, or grasp of the whole...
...The call for help is urgent...
...days before the Meyers book, covers intellect, and integrity...
...That is because this new segment lar to Meyers's...
...Kavanaugh's devastating attack, Fol- Cal' Father Eugene Gasparovic lowing Christ in a Consumer Socie- collect at 202-767-1485...
...This, in • use persuasive words and symbols...
...We spend billions on fil- advertising, it is seldom that they accuse vertising to affect...
...Advertising re- mind...
...Amen...
...It is Institute of time, he feels, to study advertising not as Religious Education part of a reflexive revulsion from the & Pastoral Ministry world of goods but in order to understand ALREADY •A TRADITION in preparing and what place material things might hold in renewing Christians for Ministry the good life and good society...
...ling people's minds with trivial con- the profession of making these elemenUnlike Meyers, Schudson has much cerns, working on their trivial motives, tary mistakes...
...course, if reading any of these books consumers' minds with choices...
...Because it rests on Stephen Fox Morrow, $17.95, 383 pp...
...less than 42 years historians (Christopher Lasch: "The anx- of age at the time of appointment...
...Marchand traces carefully and colorfully how NOW, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE...
...Ron Nahsor Fulfilling A s an advertiser for over twenty years, I begin by thinking about you, the Relevant audience...
...I ask the basic question, "Why would readers of Commonweal want to read books about advertising...
...Of particularly effective, it does occupy ence...
...While the books under re21 November 1986: 635 one fundamental premise: target and ferent kinds of cars...
...Gut instincts of creative people portant matters...
...kction in our diocese is on Sunday November 23...
...C.A.E.S...
...This is a beautiful book, Analysis...
...And haven't even more radi- Global Vision cal critiques come from economists (Robert Heilbroner: "Advertising is the Requirements for the Air Force Priest: A citizen of most destructive force in civilization"), the United States of America...
...In a 1928 son's conclusion will surprise many This is Meyers's departure point for an Atlantic Monthly, MacManus wrote, people: advertising's heyday is over...
...cially visible manifestation, good and somewhat more difficult for advertisers He has no doubts it will succeed...
...Successful within a nar- ucts...
...Not everything advertisless faith in all the consumer research occupying them with trivial decisions...
...Executives on Madison Avenue are manipulating consumers...
...How to Make Your Advertising Make duces the likelihood that we will think • offer some kind of evidence for our Money (Prentice-Hall, 1983...
...Detroit's effort to rebound with dif- Ogilvy...
...When he states tion...
...Receive ious person is the ideal consumer"), and...
...O-- s ~+ Well, perhaps you are in for a disappointment...
...see everyday were actually created...
...in the service of a malevolent purpose...
...Actually, Schudous generations...
...AL BRA &J1410WLA ADVERTISING THE UNEASY PERSUASION Air Force Chaplain Michael Schudson Basic Books, $17.95, 288 pp...
...21 November 1986: 637...
...Rubicam, Rosser Reeves (founder of the filled with pertinent advertising examThe rest of this book offers fascinating "Unique Selling Proposition" that ples and, page by page, paragraph by stories: Philip Morris's great success brought us anvils pounding in skulls in paragraph, line by line, packed with hismarketing cigarettes, soft drinks, and order to sell Bayer Aspirin), and David torical insights about the part advertising beer...
...to him is the way advertisers have had to cent human nature...
...He points out, as cycle of poverty...
...advertisers will have them who wrote the "Penalty of Leadership" the difference: "Its Dubious Impact on dancing to their tunes no less than previ- ad for Cadillac...
...and Meyers indicates a large difference in tional needs...
...His The 1686 Campaign for Human DswloprtMnt basic point is that advertising now really United States Catholic Conference works in a very small area of society and the economy...
...municate better...
...This Marchand, a historian, is also symis your opportunity to help thousands of our brothers and sisters break what Pope Paul VI called "the hellish pathetic to this effort...
...Why is this system of perTHE MIRROR MAKERS that reason...
...advertising changed in order to give consumers a better sense of what modern life The Campaign for I luman Development's 1986 Col- could and should be...
...How often do we all fail to: There are lessons in these four books In my opinion, Schudson's most per- • define and understand our audience for anyone engaged in the competition of suasive contribution to the debate is his thoroughly...
Vol. 113 • November 1986 • No. 20
