American Gothic Advertising Essay

The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, The Scream by Edvard Munch, and American Gothic by Grant Wood are a few examples of particularly famous paintings that have been around for decades. However, even their fame is eclipsed by the abundance of advertisements in American culture. Often, others ask if they had seen a specific ad because those in the advertising business have successfully done their job, and have created memorable images. Whether the ad is in the form of a catchy jingle, a likable slogan, or a flashy spokesperson, it has done its job and has made a mark on the individual. Due to this idea one can argue that advertisements have a greater influence on modern culture than famous works of art because the ads are supposed to grab viewers’ attention. Also, viewers give meaning to the images, and they are more prevalent in society. Advertising companies realize that there is a small window of opportunity where they can reach consumers. These
This makes people wonder “What makes advertisements memorable?”. While there may not be a specific set of reasons, studying the famous Rosie the Riveter, “We Can Do It”, ad can give hints as to why certain ads become so popular. At first glance all anyone would notice about the ad is Rosie flexing her arm telling everyone that that “We Can Do It”. However, there is more to the image than what first appears. To start, the two main colors are blue and yellow which are complimentary and make everything else in the image stand-out. This catches the eye of the viewer because of the intensity of the colors. Also, there are hints of red and white which, with the blue, gives the image a patriotic motif. There are words and a logo for a branch of the U.S. government, but they are not as noticeable in the image. However, the elements of the advertisement are enough to keep it within the forefront of the