Response to question 1

Nowadays, advertising has been a major aspect of our society. Businesses and companies’ main focus is to sell their products and relate it to the audiences’ everyday lives rather than to promote there product on its real role in peoples everyday lives, to grab the audiences’ interest. Advertisements have become a big manipulation to viewers that it is starting to become part of our culture instead of them sponsoring it.

For example, Pepsi have been advertising their product by using the famous football players Beckham and Messi, two worldwide football idols. Immediately as the viewers watch the commercials, they subconsciously think of the Pepsi, but focus more on the football players, the vast studio and the atmosphere around them. This not only advertises Pepsi, but also shows the viewers what a stereotypical football player should drink, and what they should too to become like those stars.

When a company’s main target is to promote their product, and to sell it only, the product will not sell much; but the strategy they use, that the product becomes part of culture, is what interlinks between the audience and the product. This shows how advertising and media can make us forget who we are, what our identities are and can also doubt us on what our cultures really are, because us humans, like to be like one another, we don’t often believe in our individual cultures but this is what differentiates us from the people and everything around us.

picture that represents me. (very old but couldn't upload it earlier)

Rawda Al-Suwaidi's response to question 3.

Advertisement agencies and anthropologists clearly share some parallels. Ad agencies constantly seek for what the majority of the society is attracted to so that they would make their product appealing. To do so, they have to study the structures and customs of a society or community. While anthropologists somehow do the same type of studies however anthropologists only aim to further understand human beings in various social contexts. Both, ad agencies and anthropologists basically focus on the study of what people really eat, drink, and ad agencies expand that to also focusing on what people mainly buy and are interested in buying. Considering that ad agencies started taking the discipline of anthropology and is applying it to their work, one can say that ad agencies and anthropologists can work together simultaneously.

Similarly, market researchers and ethnographers have the same aims. While ethnographers focus on looking at the impact of culture on people’s lives, market researchers gather, analyze and interpret information about a product or service to be offered for sale in that market, and look at how people have reacted to a certain type of product or service in the past. They research into the characteristics, spending habits, location and needs of a business's target market, the industry as a whole, and the particular competitors they face. Of course, market researchers only do that for the benefit of their company/product

The reason why adults see teen society or culture as so different or closed is because they cannot understand or keep up with the constant change around them while teenagers always lookout for the latest trends and styles.  Teenagers can always change and have a variety of interests depending on what is happening in the world around them. Therefore adults or companies need researchers to try to keep up with this constant change in order for them to know what will appeal to the teenagers, and will the teenagers want/need to buy.

Poster Thing, Sheikha Al-Suwaidi's Answers.

*How can we distinguish between an act of expression and an act of consumption?

It is hard for human beings to distinguish acts of expression from acts of consumption as everyone see’s things based on the norm of their own eyes. One can say that if we compare what people like to each other, if there was something that others did not really like that much, or wasn’t as popular, it would be fair to say that it’s an act of expression. Whereas if someone said they liked something, and it would be found that at the certain time, this object/merchandise/thing was trending and in style, it could be seen as an act of consumption.

*Is it necessary/useful to make these distinctions?

One can say that it is necessary, if not useful, to make these distinctions as it would make humans more aware of the brainwashing power advertisement agencies have on them. Sensibly speaking, it would also be a good thing to do for parents, adults and maybe even teenagers in order for them to cut down on spending money because of mind-blowing advertisements.

*Do you feel that any aspect of your culture/identity has been compromised by our consumer society?

I definitely believe that certain aspects of my culture and identity is compromised by our consumer society. An example is the traditional “Abaya”. In the past, it was a simple black material that was worn by women to cover their body, but nowadays, due to media and advertisements, the traditional “Abaya” has transformed to a fashion statement and is designed to detail. Sequence is added, flowers, colors, and even shoulder pads (when they were in style). In the past the reason “Abaya’s” were worn was to cover the woman’s body, as to today, it is worn because of culture and style. Therefore it is fair for me to say that definitely, culture and identity is compromised by the consumers of the society.

Response to 1st Question

It is said that an average human is presented with at least 300 ads per week. This seems quite large and highly unrealistic, but if we think of the many different media portals that are available out there and how many times we come across them its not that surprising. Many believe that it would be impossible to function any form of market without it. That is why when author Naomi Klein argues that advertising has changed from sponsoring culture to becoming culture, its very likely that she is correct. The difference between these two similar things that many people don't seem to pay attention to is that one is more obvious than the other. If a company is trying to advertise its product by making it a component of culture it becomes less noticeable than if it is presenting that same product in a concealed manner aiming to make it look more attractive to the buyers.

For example if we take a Coke-a-Cola the soft drink company, there are numerous amount of ads in many languages and each ad has a different way of presenting the product to the targeted area. Yet all of these ads have something in common which is that Coke-a-Cola is a part of everyone's culture. In the Middle East for instance Coke-a-Cola is known for its slogan when translated into English "open it and you will be happy"and its red ketchup color that attracts viewers even more making all of these advertising techniques go under the Rhetorical method of ethos. The environment that is seen in every ad is that Coke-a-Cola's for everyone and will give you a cool sensation that will let you stand out against others.

When we look at these adverts many of us would probably think that this is way to unrealistic and that they're just trying to get money etc. But when we look at the 2010 FIFA World cup and see how many Coke-a-Cola ads were aired during that year the number is tremendous. It's very hard to see what advertising companies are normally trying to advertise when a major event is going on or it's associated with it. As if these companies are presenting their product but disguising the obvious sale motion from behind it.

Some other people might view this differently. Since the 2010 FIFA World cup was held in South Africa many believe that sponsors were trying to add an essence of that spectacular culture into each of their ads making them sell the product by giving a international feel to it. From the viewing perspective he/she most likely did not pay attention to the product as much as he did to the culture. Coke-a-Cola was not the only major advertiser during this event; Pepsi, Kia, travelling companies, mobile networks, food and airline companies were all just some of the ads that had the South African culture infused in some way with whatever the product was.

Product placement is also another technique that advertisers use to put their product into our daily culture without us paying much attention to it. This truly demonstrates how ads have had an effect on us since we are seeing the product being presented but without the fake acting and illusion that usually is seen in many commercials.

In conclusion us being consumers of many products on the market may not be sucked into most of the advertisements right away, yet most of us enjoy seeing these products behind the spotlight and might not realize the true intention of the advertisers is the same as the normal standard commercial would look like.

Answer to question number 3.

What is an anthropologist?

The science that deals with the origins, physical and cultural development, biological characteristics, and social customs and beliefs of humankind.

What is an ethnographer?

The branch of anthropology that provides scientific description of individual human societies.

What are advertisement agencies?

Advertisement agencies are corporations that are given the task by the company that would like to advertise their product.

As on overall conclusion, there are many parallel connections between anthropologists and advertisement agencies. For example if you want to create an ad in a specific location of the world to be only show in that part you would need information about the origin itself and maybe even the culture or physical characteristics of the place so the advert that's been created would fit with the people that are from that area or else it would seem irrelevant to them. Therefore the parallel connections between the anthropologists and advertisement agencies would make the advert successful.

Also there are parallel connections between ethnographers and advertisement agencies are that ethnographers need to study the development of the human patterns and see what has changed during a certain period of time and be able to predict what will happen in the future to the culture or the environment so when they create their idea's people would be interested into the product that the company is offering them because it shows them some kind of future reference.

Overall these are just two ways how anthropologist and ethnographer can have parallel connections to advertisement agencies.

Sheikha AlSuwaidi's response to question three.

Before beginning, it is vital to firstly have a clear understanding of what anthropologists, ethnographers, and advertisement agencies aim to do in order to highlight parallels between them. Anthropology is the simple scientific study of origin, behavior, physical, social and cultural development of human beings in a society. Anthropology, is the scientific study of individual cultures and its people. Lastly, advertisement agencies. Advertisement agencies are paid businesses dedicated to creating, planning and making adverts that attract certain audiences.

Now that we have a clear understanding of what those three so-called “researchers” do, we can now highlight the parallels and contrasts between them. The first and foremost parallel that is shown is the fact that anthropologists, ethnographers and advertisement agencies study people and what they like VERY closely, which is a vital thing as it is normal that human beings change from day to day. Anthropologists and ethnographers can work together with advertisement agencies by keeping them updated with the latest trends, behavioral, physical and social developments of a society. This would benefit advertisement agencies, as it will help them have a clearer view on their audience.

Adults see teen societies and cultures as such different and closed societies, to the extent where they need researchers to tell them what our life is like. The reason why I think this is so is because, naturally human beings interests tend to shift and change from day to day and it may be hard for adults to keep up with the latest trends and latest styles, therefore researchers do the job for them. And that’s when anthropologists and ethnographers come in.