Monday 15 October 2012

Context of Practice: Seminar 1 & Study Task 1


Context of Practice:
Seminar 1: 

Psychoanalysis Key points:

Oedipus Complex - Castration anxiety this effects the male and for women - penis envy as Penis/ Falus = Power 

Dynamic Unconscious - Repressed desires 

ID - Primal Urges - to eat, to sleep - to see something and want it. - To kill or to fight. uncontrollable feelings. this is martied policed and controlled by the SUPEREGO  

EGO - Conscious mind state registration of your own personality, rational x conscious personality

SUPEREGO - The superego is using methods such as shame guilt and pity to combat the ID

Sigmund Freud -  
Edward Bernays - 

Women where looked down upon for smoking in public, the cigerette is a representation of the falic/the penis - Torches of freedom. 

Key points from the video:


- Bernays used Freuds psychoanalysis ideas to make people buy products.



- Bernays first experiment for the use of psychoanalysis, was persuading women to smoke. This was later referred as 'torches of freedom' - the cigarettes.
- Hidden in all human beings lied dangerous instinctual drives.
- Devised a method of exploring the hidden part of the brain known as the unconscious
- if you could use propaganda for war it could be certainly used for peace
- Bernays - wondered if he could make money from the manipulation of the unconscious
- The power of seizing and manipulation - Government 
- Convincing the public that a desire is now a need. enhancing the desire false need
- Selling a lifestyle (better life) for example not selling the car for its function getting you from a - b, but instead selling it as a symbol of sex and power.
- Democracy through consumerism -  We believe that all our desires can be achieved by purchasing an item that is advertised to make our life better.
Women where looked down upon for smoking in public, the cigerette is a representation of the falic/the penis - Torches of freedom.
- Over production would stop then need for goods
- The majority of the products where sold as necessities
- The aims of advertisements - where all about showing the function
- Shift america from need to desire
- Mans desires must over shadow his needs 
- Allowed the public to desire things (not things they need) something they wanted
- merchandising establishment - looked at freud and what stimulates the human mind
- woman magazines used his products associated with famous actresses give the product a glamourous feel
- Cars where now being sold as a symbol of power and symbol of sex 
- organised fashion shows in department stores



Examples:

Marlborough man: a cowboy represents manliness, this was used to bring the male buyers back into the market as smoking was now seen as lady like.



Smoking - Glamour, Sport, Success in business, Masculinity and femininity
saatchi & saatchi

"also advertisements should not seek to actively persuade people to start smoking" 

Silk Cut: use of the name - luxurious - expensive - high quality 
Could be looked at as female brand as silk is seen as feminine 

EROS - LIFE - TO HAVE SEX BE SUCCESSFUL 
----------
THANATOS - DEATH - TO KILL - SELF DESTRUCTION - NEGATIVE ENERGY 

Silk Cut adverts:

Cut in the silk is not only a direct reflection of the name but i also feel the juxtaposition of the cut in the silk is used to represent a womans vagina creating a direct sexual realation with the viewer in combination with the sexual reference to silk.


Below again the representation of the Cut silk represents the brand name however again the juxtaposition of the cut is again reference to the womans vagina and a reference to sex. This is again backed up by the juxtaposition of the object to the left which is directly inline with the silk this is without doubt a phallic symbol representing the male penis and again pushing the sexual reference.


List 10 most important points raised in adam curtis's documentary "Century of self"

Relate these points toa  critical analysis of one image from the mass media which in particular, focuses on the nature of consumerism, desire and the unconscious 


As you can see the image shows the the product situated in front of a huge house, this is not only selling the wealthy lifestyle but  also signifies power for example the tower represents power the reason for this being that the tower is a phallic symbol representing the power, the penis is a direct symbol of power. Other aspects consist of the advert attempting to sell the appearance of the american dream this is shown by the happy family shown next to the product the perfect happy family this is a statement saying if you have this product you will be happy. There is also a message of health being given out by the family there are 3 generations of family showing that the family is health and long living. I feel that the use of the colour white is a representation of purity and luxury.  

- Selling a rich lifestyle
- selling happy family
- Living in the countryside - peacefull - Expensive 
- selling the american dream
- White represents purity 
- Luxury 
- Tower could be linked to Falic symbol 
- 3 Generations shows long healthy life?

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