COMM 287 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Theodore Levitt, Benjamin Barber, Stuart Ewen
Document Summary
We need to have some reason to buy something, so we need to be persuaded quickly: defenses of advertising. Rational people need irrational advertising to justify buying things: symbolism and emotion are necessary, persuasion does not have to be rational, distinction between: Advertising makes so few claims that there are not enough to make false claims, they are just vague. Are these untruths: smart advertisers should not make rational claims. The only way an advertiser can be sued is if it can be proved that a claim is not true: quote 9 (alvin achenbaum) Advertising is like art- an interpretation of the world. As long as it does not lie or deceive it is legitimate: quote 10 (theodore levitt) There is always a symbolic dimension (like how in our society we don"t eat dogs, but other societies do; vice versa with cows: use / symbol. Symbolism is legitimate as long as you do not deceive.