In this course, we will critically examine the ways advertising shapes and reflect the society we live in. Advertising is not merely a tool for selling products; it is a powerful cultural force that both reflects and drives economic, social, and political change. Through detailed analysis of advertising's methods and messages, we will investigate its central role in shaping consumer society and its broader implications for how we live and think in a capitalist system.

The course focuses particularly on advertising's economic and ideological dimensions, exploring its function as a key player in media economics and its relationship to broader structures of production and consumption. We will analyze how advertising constructs commodities, promotes consumer identities, and participates in the commodification of everyday life. By engaging with debates about the audience's role, data surveillance, and the creative tensions within advertising itself, we will uncover the dynamic interplay between economic necessity and cultural creativity in advertising's production and reception.

This course equips students to critically assess advertising's dual identity as both an economic force and an artistic medium. We will grapple with questions such as: How does advertising shape our desires and values? In what ways does it support or challenge the broader capitalist system? What is the relationship between the creative and commercial aspects of advertising? By addressing these questions, we aim to foster a nuanced understanding of advertising's role in contemporary culture, while developing analytical tools to evaluate its impact on individuals and society.

In this course, we will critically examine the ways advertising shapes and reflect the society we live in. Advertising is not merely a tool for selling products; it is a powerful cultural force that both reflects and drives economic, social, and political change. Through detailed analysis of advertising's methods and messages, we will investigate its central role in shaping consumer society and its broader implications for how we live and think in a capitalist system.

The course focuses particularly on advertising's economic and ideological dimensions, exploring its function as a key player in media economics and its relationship to broader structures of production and consumption. We will analyze how advertising constructs commodities, promotes consumer identities, and participates in the commodification of everyday life. By engaging with debates about the audience's role, data survey, and the creative tensions within advertising itself, we will uncover the dynamic interplay between economic necessity and cultural creativity in advertising's production and reception.

This course equips students to critically assess advertising's dual identity as both an economic force and an artistic medium. We will grapple with questions such as: How does advertising shape our desires and values? In what ways does it support or challenge the broader capitalist system? What is the relationship between the creative and commercial aspects of advertising? By addressing these questions, we aim to foster a nuanced understanding of advertising's role in contemporary culture, while developing analytical tools to evaluate its impact on individuals and society.

Nicholas Holm. 2023. Advertising and Consumer Society, 2nd Edition. Routledge.

Nicholas Holm. 2023. Advertising and Consumer Society, 2nd Edition. Routledge.