Literature Review

Literature Review

According to Tungate (2007) ’brands are forcing their messages onto every blank space, into very crack in the urban landscape’. He wrote this in his Book Adland a global history of advertising. This is not just a modern idea, advertising started as a form of political persuasion by Darius in Iran more than 500 years BC.

In the documentary published by BBC, Wilson (2012) claims that Darius’s stone reliefs where a form of visual persuasion understood by everyone. Tungate (2007) continues by stating that ‘effective advertising had to be entertaining as well as persuasive’. However Ogilvy believed and was famous for his advertising according to personality not one fits for all. The first life-like representation used as a form of persuasion was Alexander the Great’s portrait depicting the first idea to photography. By the 1860’s photography become mainstream.

Wilson (2012) states that the art of Persuasion turned into propaganda and deception earlier in the Roman age. The idea is exactly of how it started, politically. Augustus deceived his people by showing a loyal and humble look but than he was being corrupt. This technique was used by many leaders and is still used today. Hitler was one of them, it continued with the uncle sam posters ‘I want you for U.S army’  in world war one. The phrase was invented by James Montgomery, the artist behind these posters. 'We sold the war to the youth'. Tungate (2007) states that with propaganda and deception even the most brutal thing can look nice and heroic.

In the 1930’s Leyendecker came up with the idea of painting the perfect man for his advertising posters. Tungate adds that men wanted to be him and woman wanted to be with him. Rubicam also expresses his opinion that adverts with sex-appeal are more effective than others. Tungate says that Advertising is all about persuading people and that is an art and not a scientific method.

An Italian photographer Olivero Toscani, mixed up aspects like fashion, sex and religion in his ads, which were not very famous in a Catholic Country. He is mostly known for the Benetton's posters, which in the 90's were very shocking and not usual. Tungate (2007) claims that Toscani’s posters were 'no longer advertising: it was fuel for debate'. Benetton and Toscani wanted to evoke the theme of multiculturalism.

Leo Burnett was another designer that made history in advertising. His style was 'homely ' and 'cutting edge'. In the late 1940's P&G was the most famous advertising company in the US. They worked for Kellogg’s cornflakes which decided to 'add sugar to health food products' Tungate (2007). They promoted cereal as healthy but that was a way to deceive people. They also started to use the packaging itself to advertise. This started a packaging revolution.

With fast food joints, photography become very important. Posters ads became famous. Though in a few time, 'forceful words and images to public health advertising' become popular. People started to be more aware of what is good for their health.

In today’s world, an article by Ressler argues that technical words are being used to make a food product look more healthy and nutritious. Some of these words are 'Gluten-free' , 'Organic, 'Natural, ‘Wholegrain’. The University of Houston researched and studied this deceptive technique. They found that ''those words create a 'false sense of health’’  Northup from the University of Houston adds that this idea is giving deceiving clues to something that is not really healthy. 

Packard (1980) in his book The Hidden Persuaders states that 'many of us are being influenced and manipulated' . McCann Erickson was one of the first to go in depth to this idea. He hired psychological stuff to do more research on it. Advertising is very effective and there are certain studies and techniques in order to make an ad more effective. Researchers use symbols of manipulation to persuade people. According to Packard (1980) ’ they can more effectively manipulate our habits and choices in their favour'  when they study the human's reactions and behaviour. In Advertising, food is used as a weapon or technique to attract people. Food can be very satisfactory to us. Nowadays we have the idea of everything being 'light' meaning, less fattening. This is a reaction for the need of plainer and healthier food. The brands also try to create a sense of loyalty with the youngsters. “Eager minds can be moulded to want your product” Packard (1980, pg 154)

Colours and illustrations have an important role in food packaging. Ressler (2014) writes that 'people are more likely to assume that products with green labels are more nutritious'. In another article Schuldt (2013)  suggests that government organisations should do something about this deceptive technique.

 Apart from that photography’s role in fast food ads is as much important. ''Nothing is just plopped down and put in the centre like it is when you order at a restaurant,' said Jean Ann Bybbe , owner of Bybee Photography''  Little (2014). The stages include: styling of food, photography and also computer programmes for final retouches. Effects like steam and size are added, but apart from these the stylists insists that the food is real. Stylists writes that nowadays they have to be more careful to abide by the companies concerns, sometimes even legal documents have to be signed so that the stylist cannot change and manipulate the food completely.  ''Most companies today want it to be fresh, natural, not overworked,'' states the food stylist Adar (2014)

Although advertising will never die as people now are always looking for new updates. Notifications on e-mails, mobiles etc are continuously popping up. On the other hand, Intellectual property has become more important. It has become much more easy to steal and manipulate images and other ideas which are not yours. In this world of deception, people may believe everything or more precisely believe in nothing. 

Tungate

Wilson BBC
Packard
Ressler
Little

References:

Lifehacker.com.au,. 'Seven Sneaky Food Labelling Tricks To Watch Out For'. N.p., 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.

Little, Katie. 'Why Fast Food Doesn't Look Like The Ads'. CNBC. N.p., 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.

Popular Science,. 'People Think Candy Bars With Green Nutrition Labels Are Healthier'. N.p., 2015. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.

The Hidden Persuaders. New York: Booklyn, 1980. Print.

ThinkProgress,. 'How Food Companies Trick You Into Thinking You’Re Buying Something Healthy'. N.p., 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.

Tungate, Mark. Adland. London: Kogan Page, 2007. Print.

Wilson,. The Art Of Persuasion. 2012. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.