Media : Media, Communication and Cultural Studies

Through its artful engagement with consumers, advertising subtly shapes our everyday worlds. It plays upon powerful emotions -- envy, fear, lust and ambition. But the industry itself is far more subtle and complex than many people might assume. Throu gh an innovative mix of business strategy and cultural theory, this pioneering book provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of the link between advertising and larger cultural forces, as well as a rare look into the workings of agencies themselves. How do advertisements endeavour to capture real life? How do advertising agencies think of their audience: the consumer and their corporate client? What issues do agencies have to consider when using an advertisement in a range of different countries? W hat specific methods are used to persuade us not only to buy but to remain loyal to a product? How do advertisers fan consumer desire? An incisive understanding of human behaviour is at the core of all these questions and is what unites advertisers a nd anthropologists in their work. While this link may come as a surprise to those who consider the former to be firmly rooted in commerce and the latter in culture, this book clearly shows that these two fields share a remarkable number of convergenc es. From constructing a Japaneseness that appeals to two very different Western audiences, to tracking advertising changes in the post World War II period, to considering how people can be influenced by language and symbols, Advertising Cultures is a n indispensable guide to the production of images and to consumer behaviour for practitioners and students alike. more...

Price: $95.00

`Extremely good well presented, each chapter deals with a specific and well defined theme. Effective use of illustrative examples is made throughout the text and their purpose is clearly explained by the author' - Andy Bennett, Professor of Communication and Popular Culture, Brock University. How does advertising position itself in consumer culture? In what ways does it `create' desire and wants? This richly illustrated, incisive text produces the most complete critical introduction to advertising culture, by offering: - a sophisticated and comprehensive discussion of the main relevant theories; - an extensive discussion of how real adverts work, together with reproductions of advertising images and copy; - a demonstration on how advertising constructs subjects; - a highly instructive historical overview of advertising; - a demonstration of the relationship between advertising and industrial capitalism. more...

Price: $27.50

Introducing alternative and activist media theories by discussing the history and roles of alternative and activist media, this study brings diverse voices and concepts from outside the commercial media world to the fore, enriching and challenging mass media. It is illustrated with historical examples, from both a UK and international perspective. more...

Price: $105.47

This dazzling little book explores the role of US media in foreign policy, not only at the present moment, but with an eye to the future.: Written by a veteran Hollywood film executive and an internationally known columnist in foreign affairs; Explains how American movies, TV shows, and pop music provide the images of America to the rest of the world, and the rest of the world to Americans; Includes discussions of the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed Danish daily newspapers, Tibetan monks censored out of Chinese TV news reports only to show up on You Tube, and the Vatican's assault on the Da Vinci Code movie; Argues that Hollywood is a key player in the 'deep coalition' required to support a 'smart power' foreign policy and build a global cultural infrastructure that will make the world safe for interdependence more...

Price: $79.95

Americans in the 1950s faced the challenge of negotiating the new medium's place in the home and in American culture in general. Using the American Protestant experience of the introduction of television, Rosenthal illustrates the importance of the interplay between a new medium and its users. more...

Price: $80.00