Synopses & Reviews
Many advertisements these days make us feel as if we have an intimate, even passionate relationship with a product. But as Jean Kilbourne points out in this fascinating and shocking exposand#233;, the dreamlike promise of advertising always leaves us hungry for more. We can never be satisfied, because the products we love cannot love us back.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;When was the last time you felt this comfortable in a relationship?and#8221; and#8212;An ad for sneakersandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;You can love it without getting your heart broken.and#8221; and#8212;An ad for a carandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Until I find a real man, I'll settle for a real smoke.and#8221; and#8212;A woman in a cigarette adandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Many advertisements these days make us feel as if we have an intimate, even passionate relationship with a product. But as Jean Kilbourne points out in this fascinating and shocking exposand#233;, the dreamlike promise of advertising always leaves us hungry for more. We can never be satisfied, because the products we love cannot love us back.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Drawing upon her knowledge of psychology, media, and women's issues, Kilbourne offers nothing less than a new understanding of a ubiquitous phenomenon in our culture. The average American is exposed to over 3,000 advertisements a day and watches three years' worth of television ads over the course of a lifetime. Kilbourne paints a gripping portrait of how this barrage of advertising drastically affects young people, especially girls, by offering false promises of rebellion, connection, and control. She also offers a surprising analysis of the way advertising creates and then feeds an addictive mentality that often continues throughout adulthood.
Review
andlt;Iandgt;Selfandlt;/Iandgt; magazine andlt;Iandgt;Backlashandlt;/Iandgt; meets andlt;Iandgt;The Beauty Myth....andlt;/Iandgt;a scathing attack on the powers that tell us what, how much, when and why to buy.
Review
Susan Faludi author of andlt;Iandgt;Backlashandlt;/Iandgt; Jean Kilbourne's work is pioneering and crucial to the dialogue of one of the most underexplored, yet most powerful, realms of American culture: advertising. We owe her a great debt.
Synopsis
"When was the last time you felt this comfortable in a relationship?"
-- An ad for sneakers "You can love it without getting your heart broken."
-- An ad for a car
"Until I find a real man, I'll settle for a real smoke."
-- A woman in a cigarette ad
Many advertisements these days make us feel as if we have an intimate, even passionate relationship with a product. But as Jean Kilbourne points out in this fascinating and shocking exposé, the dreamlike promise of advertising always leaves us hungry for more. We can never be satisfied, because the products we love cannot love us back.
Drawing upon her knowledge of psychology, media, and women's issues, Kilbourne offers nothing less than a new understanding of a ubiquitous phenomenon in our culture. The average American is exposed to over 3,000 advertisements a day and watches three years' worth of television ads over the course of a lifetime. Kilbourne paints a gripping portrait of how this barrage of advertising drastically affects young people, especially girls, by offering false promises of rebellion, connection, and control. She also offers a surprising analysis of the way advertising creates and then feeds an addictive mentality that often continues throughout adulthood.
About the Author
andlt;Bandgt;Jean Kilbourne,Ed.Dandlt;/Bandgt;, is internationally recognized for her pioneering work on alcohol and tobacco advertising and the image of women in advertising. A widely published writer and speaker who has twice been named Lecturer of the Year by the National Association for Campus Activities, she is best known for her award-winning documentaries, andlt;Iandgt;Killing Us Softly, Slim Hopes,andlt;/Iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;Pack of Liesandlt;/Iandgt;. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Contentsandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Foreword by Mary Pipherandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Introduction: "A Girl of Many Parts"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The Making of an Activistandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;1 "Buy This 24-year-old and Get All His Friends Absolutely Free"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;We Are the Productandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;2 "In Your Face...All over the Place!"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Advertising Is Our Environmentandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;3 "Bath Tissue is Like Marriage"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The Corruption of Relationshipsandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;4 "Can an Engine Pump the Valves in Your Heart?"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Crazy for Carsandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;5 "Please, Please, You're Driving Me Wild"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Falling in Love with Foodandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;6 "The More You Subtract, the More You Add"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Cutting Girls Down to Sizeandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;7 "Forget the Rules! Enjoy the Wine"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Alcohol and Rebellionandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;8 "What You're Looking For"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Rage and Rebellion in Cigarette Advertisingandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;9 "The Dream Begins as Soon as You Open the Door"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Advertising an Addictive Mind-Setandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;10 "In Life There Are Many Loves, But Only One Grande Passion"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Addiction as a Relationshipandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;11 "You Talkin' to Me?"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Advertising and Disconnectionandlt;/Iandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;12 "Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Advertising and Violenceandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;13 "Relax. And Enjoy the Revolution"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Redefining Rebellionandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Notesandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Bibliographyandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Acknowledgmentsandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Indexandlt;/Iandgt;