Selling to Cynics
Summary – Shock advertising
Generation X is society’s trendiest group, it is realistic and under the age of thirty. Advertisers have recently discovered this segment and are willing to sell directly to them now, but also would like to start a relationship that goes beyond this generation. The problem is that Generation X doesn’t trust advertisers, they are aware of the fact that there are companies willing to sell them products they don’t want. These companies are desperate to reach this new segment with the help of advertisement agencies who speak “their language”.
Tim Delaney made the advertisement for Pepe jeans, which is an advertisement with the darker values of generation X, as it shows disturbing images and alienated teenagers. Pepe Jeans wants to dissociate itself from the corporate culture. They think their advertisement did not offend their targeted audience, as the idea of how negative or dark these thoughts are, are in the eye (or mind) of the beholder.
Jiro Ejaife from “don’t tell it magazine” wanted an advertisement based on the “amusing” violence in cult movies. Their advertisement shows a teenager being shot repeatedly. He made the advertisement intentionally over the top, and thinks the question of morality should lie with the church, family and schools. The test viewing shows that teenagers disagree about the violence used in this advertisement. Some think the advertisement is unacceptable, others are not offended, as nowadays there is much more violence in movies. The advertisement industry is disputing the use of “Shock advertising”, and the moral cause of this new tactic, as advertising doesn’t only sell a product, but also sells behavior and attitude with the same efficiency.
Adrian Holmes of Howard-Spink advertising is one of the acceptable advertisers, he thinks it is in the moral interest of the country and the commercial interest of the industry that these “shock advertisers” should be brought into line. These types of
Generation X is society’s trendiest group, it is realistic and under the age of thirty. Advertisers have recently discovered this segment and are willing to sell directly to them now, but also would like to start a relationship that goes beyond this generation. The problem is that Generation X doesn’t trust advertisers, they are aware of the fact that there are companies willing to sell them products they don’t want. These companies are desperate to reach this new segment with the help of advertisement agencies who speak “their language”.
Tim Delaney made the advertisement for Pepe jeans, which is an advertisement with the darker values of generation X, as it shows disturbing images and alienated teenagers. Pepe Jeans wants to dissociate itself from the corporate culture. They think their advertisement did not offend their targeted audience, as the idea of how negative or dark these thoughts are, are in the eye (or mind) of the beholder.
Jiro Ejaife from “don’t tell it magazine” wanted an advertisement based on the “amusing” violence in cult movies. Their advertisement shows a teenager being shot repeatedly. He made the advertisement intentionally over the top, and thinks the question of morality should lie with the church, family and schools. The test viewing shows that teenagers disagree about the violence used in this advertisement. Some think the advertisement is unacceptable, others are not offended, as nowadays there is much more violence in movies. The advertisement industry is disputing the use of “Shock advertising”, and the moral cause of this new tactic, as advertising doesn’t only sell a product, but also sells behavior and attitude with the same efficiency.
Adrian Holmes of Howard-Spink advertising is one of the acceptable advertisers, he thinks it is in the moral interest of the country and the commercial interest of the industry that these “shock advertisers” should be brought into line. These types of