Consumer Cultures

We must be careful when talking about the affects of advertising, not to oversimplify its effect on the audience. Just because someone sees an advert for a Gillete Fusion razor and later goes out to buy one, it does not necessarily mean that they did so because of the advert. It could have been due to a number of factors. The viewers razor could have broken, therefore he needed a new razor, or there was an amazing sale on in Boots, having the Fusion at 50% off, or even word of mouth, A friend could have one of these razors and said it was amazing, hence our viewer buying one. Not every purchase is because of an advert.

We also cannot ignore or neglect the affect that advertising has on individuals and the influence is has on our society and culture.

An example of this influence could be with wine. If we serve the right brand of wine, it shows that we are sophisticated and have good taste. The advert for this wine would be elegant and have to have a sense of refinement.

With the growth of material desire, there is also a growth in leisure. People must spend their time with the right activities, given their social status and class. Therefore, those of an upperclass spend their time consuming high art cultural products such as the opera and plays etc, while those of a lesser class are confined to consume more ordinary products, such as drive to holidays, cheap clothes and fast food restaurants.

It does not always work in the way stated above (someone from a lower class may love the opera) but usually there is a connection between ones social status and taste.

Simulacra and Simulations

When you dissimilate, you pretend to not have something you do. To simulate is to pretend to have something you have.
There is one major difference between the pair. If you simulate something, you threaten the difference between true and false, real and imaginary. However, if you dissimilate, the difference you have is always clear, just masked. (pg 168)

Disneyland is a perfect example of simulation. It is full of illusions and fantasys, with its displays of pirates and the future. This imaginary world is what you would expect draws the crowds in, but it is thought that it is more the social meaning of the entire thing. Once inside, you are surrounded by excitement and affection from everyone around you. The difference between inside Disneyland and the carpark outside is absolute.

Disneyland, however, is there to conceal the fact that it is the "real" America, and that Los Angeles and everywhere else in the surrounding area is no longer considered, real. It is a hyperreal and a simulation. The reality of Disneyland is neither true nor false. It is meant to be a world for childishness, a world that makes us believe that the adults are in the outside world, when really it is just allowing the adults to be fulfil the desire and illusion to be childish.

Disneyland is not the only example of this. There is also the Enchanted Village, Magic Mountain and Marine World.