Advertisements promise a magical world

Stating that the products presented in the advertisement are auxiliary objects to complete the sense of incompleteness felt by the person watching the advertisement, the experts emphasize that people symbolically complete the lackness in themselves by purchasing that product. Noting that giving money and owning the product is a magical thought ritual made to realize the dream promised by the advertisement, far beyond using that product, Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan said that "So much so that some buyers do not even use the product, because for these people, just paying the price psychically means the same as using it."

Üsküdar University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Advertising, Instructor Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan evaluated the perception of the subtext of the advertisements.

Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan stated that advertisements are basically an element of the neoliberal market order and continued as follows:

"The basic philosophy of advertising is to create a consumer audience and direct it to continuous consumption. However, it is possible to say that advertising has also become an ideology producer, perhaps as a result of its appeal to consumer individuals. Advertising should not only keep the consumption activity in a dynamic structure for the masses, but also produce meanings in the everyday lives of individuals. In this respect, the persuasion messages of advertising about the qualities of any product and its efforts to present messages reflecting the dominant ideology are intertwined. In other words, while the message of a deodorant advertisement includes guiding elements to save the consumer from the smell of sweat, it also triggers the fear of exclusion due to the lack of self-confidence and comfort in a deodorant-free situation."

Consumer society perpetuates dissatisfaction

Noting that the answers of people to the question 'Are you happy?' can be seen as the ultimate test that tests the success or failure of the consumer society, Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan stated that "However, consumption as a source of happiness within its own limits fails to increase total satisfaction. The happiness-enhancing capacity of consumption is utterly limited. The consumer society is successful as long as it organizes the perpetuation of dissatisfaction. One way to achieve this effect is to discredit and devalue these consumer products shortly after introducing them into the consumers' universe of desire through large advertising campaigns."

From this point of view, Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan explained that a strategy is designed by using people's fears, hopes, despair, traumas, dreams and impulses, beyond announcing the products that will meet their needs while the main message is wanted to be given in the advertising text, and Becan continued his remarks as follows:

Indicators in an advertisement seize certain emotions

"It is also true that nowadays advertisements are more focused on emotions than rationality. At this point, they provide us with clues to another piece of information although emotions are used to persuade the consumer. Advertising, as a media product, allows certain emotions to be activated and therefore popularized, while at the same time emitting affective vibrations. For example, the discourse of respectability is an indicator of a luxury car, and its affect is a privilege. In other words, the indicators in advertisements also create certain emotions by attaching to certain emotions. Advertisements do not reveal that it is not products and services that bring us happiness; however, it is emotional events that have an effect on us. Even the most elegant and well-equipped vehicles cannot provide us with the satisfaction of a good relationship."

Advertisements portray the ideal life image

Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan, who noted that the advertisements depict the 'ideal' image of physics or life, stated the following:

"While determining the messages in the advertisements, the most basic and core requirements of the psyche (the whole personality) such as respectability, being loved, being adopted, and being cared for are identified with the product or object marketed in the fairy-tale narrative constructed by the advertisement. In this cycle, in the psyche of the consumer, what is bought is no longer the perfume itself, but the taste of all women, not the lipstick that is bought, but the sexual desire of all men, not the apple that is bought, but long life, not the smartphone, but quality stories. The products presented in the advertisement are auxiliary objects to complete the sense of incompleteness felt by the person watching the advertisement and are talismanic for the buyer. Symbolically, the person has completed the lackness in themselves by purchasing that product."

In the language of advertising, it is always addressed to the future consumer

Explaining that the advertisement itself should not be confused with the pleasure or benefit of the advertised object, Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan said: "The effect of the advertisement is that it is based on reality. Clothes, shampoos, automobiles, creams, sunny resorts are really things to enjoy. Advertising, so where is it trying to make an impact on? It begins by increasing the unquenchable hunger for pleasure within us. Advertising can never be presenting a known pleasure to the consumer once again. In the language of advertising, there is always an appeal to the future consumer."

Assoc. Prof. Cihan Becan stated that sometimes paying for the product and buying it in advertisements is determined as a talisman that will activate the consumer's imagination and said:

"Giving money and owning the product, far beyond using that product, is a magical thought ritual to fulfill the dream promised by the advertisement. So much so that some buyers do not even use the product, because, psychically, just paying for it is the same as using it for these people."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)