Billboards: modern fairy tale
Steven Wu
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News
This past Tuesday, Dr. Jon Goss from the University of Hawaii at Manoa presented his research on advertisement campaigns.
He discussed the true nature of massive billboards, commonly seen in locales across the country and featured predominantly in New York City. With billions of eyes scanning these billboards each year, it is important to understand the human reaction and its impact on society.
Dr. Goss discussed the connection between fairy tales and life in urban cities, and how the inanimate could speak to long lost desires and sometimes takes on lives of their own.
At the core, Billboards are just giant advertisements. Their purpose is to quickly and effectively communicate information to a large audience. To do this, metaphors become the method of choice.
Dr. Goss suggests that the billboards play of on the fantasies of the Middle Ages; of monsters and heroes. The old ideas of evil, envy, and desire are frequently portrayed symbolically in advertisements.
Models in advertisements often seem aloof and authoritarian; suggesting that people would be better off if they owned the product being advertised. They gaze intently, seemingly peering into people's souls; trying to tell them what they need, even if they do not. Humans are so driven by suggestions and the need to fill losses; they can be made to believe they have lost something they never had.
Of course, the desire for more will continue to support our society's business practices. It is a loop that is difficult to break. The true needs of the human race and the planet and ignored in billboards. The focus is on turning a profit.
Goss believes this will lead to the end of the human civilization. He suggests that if these symbols of capitalism are not removed, the entire system will be lost.
He discussed the true nature of massive billboards, commonly seen in locales across the country and featured predominantly in New York City. With billions of eyes scanning these billboards each year, it is important to understand the human reaction and its impact on society.
Dr. Goss discussed the connection between fairy tales and life in urban cities, and how the inanimate could speak to long lost desires and sometimes takes on lives of their own.
At the core, Billboards are just giant advertisements. Their purpose is to quickly and effectively communicate information to a large audience. To do this, metaphors become the method of choice.
Dr. Goss suggests that the billboards play of on the fantasies of the Middle Ages; of monsters and heroes. The old ideas of evil, envy, and desire are frequently portrayed symbolically in advertisements.
Models in advertisements often seem aloof and authoritarian; suggesting that people would be better off if they owned the product being advertised. They gaze intently, seemingly peering into people's souls; trying to tell them what they need, even if they do not. Humans are so driven by suggestions and the need to fill losses; they can be made to believe they have lost something they never had.
Of course, the desire for more will continue to support our society's business practices. It is a loop that is difficult to break. The true needs of the human race and the planet and ignored in billboards. The focus is on turning a profit.
Goss believes this will lead to the end of the human civilization. He suggests that if these symbols of capitalism are not removed, the entire system will be lost.
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