Referring to Sturken and Cartwright's discussion, "Addressing the Consumer," describe how the above advertising image "interpellates" or calls a viewer to occupy the subject position constructed by the ad. (Please click on image to view larger size)
If within a consumer society, the purpose of the advertisement is no longer to sell products, but rather "lifestyle and identification with brand names and corporate logos" (S&C: 198), what ideas, qualities and/or beliefs are associated with this clothing brand? In what ways can the ad be read as contradictory in terms of its appeal to the potential consumer?
16 comments:
In the two ads, GAP is trying to tell us that by wearing there clothes, we are being what we want to be. They tell us this by saying “Create your own Sound” and “Create your own Philosophy” on the ads they produced. We can’t be who we want to be though if they are telling us that by buying them we will be who we want to be. Other consumers will buy there clothes, and then eventually we are all being the same. As it says in the definition of interpellation, “ Images can be said to designate the kind of viewer they intend us to be”, and that is what GAP is doing with there ads.
The ideas associated with the picture is that if you buy there clothes then you will be yourself, and you won’t be a follower. Gap is trying to say that if you buy there clothes, you will be who you want to be , but your really buying from them which means that you are conforming with everyone else.
The two people’s poses are casual and relaxed, as if they are comfortable in their own skin (and the company’s clothing). Moreover, they are also presented as sophisticated, urbane characters, lending prestige to the brand name (Gap). The soft lighting and leather jacket accentuates the woman as an artist (“Create your own sound”); the man’s gray blazer and business shirt, sharply defined and contrasted by the lighting, signifies him as an intellectual (“Make up your own philosophy”). These clothes are intended to reflect the wearer’s personal character/philosophy; in fact, that is how most people often choose to wear their clothes—as an expression of themselves. However, we do tend to judge strangers and acquaintances by their clothing, attitude, demeanor, etc. We don’t know who these people are, nor what they are like, so we have to assume certain qualities from their clothing style and attitude. In that way, these ads reverse their original message so that the clothes and clothing style define the person, not vice versa. Additionally, this “ideal” clothing style is attached to a brand name (Gap), further blurring the line between consumer and advertiser. Instead of associating itself with the clothes themselves, the company tries to attaches itself to a person’s identity, under the guise of promoting individuality.
Hannah Mann
You are called to occupy the subject position because its designed to make you think, I could wear that, I could create my own style too. This isn't quite true. You will be shopping where many others shop, which means your style is the same as someone else. However, no matter how hard you try, you will always be following some sort of style, wither it be life style, clothing style, or anything else. It is nearly impossible to be what is defined as "yourself".
They style of clothing that the ads are depicting almost makes the models look homeless, and in our current society, the homeless are frowned upon. So this ad is contradicting itself by promoting a style of clothing that demotes people down to the low of the low in our culture. This is what almost comes to mind right when I see the ads with no text. Their cloths are all mixed and mashed, but it is also about putting your own "style" together. However, your own style is the same as everyone else that shops at this brands store.
In the first Gap ad, the viewer is called upon to “Create your own sound.” In the second ad, the viewer is told to “Make up your own philosophy.” Both of these statements make use of the term “your.” This calls the viewer to occupy the subject position of the ad by addressing them “directly.” This gives the viewer a sense of what the Frankfurt School scholars called “pseudoindividuality,” or a false sense of individuality. The ads lead the viewer to believe that the ads know the viewer better than they know themselves.
These two Gap ads sell the idea of individuality and nonconformity. Both ads urge the viewer to do something on their own, not just assume the sound or philosophy of the masses. The irony of these ads lies in this very idea. The ads are not being marketed to one or two people, but rather to thousands and even millions. Thus, The Gap is selling individuality by way of mass communication. This is also a fine example of commodity culture, as the viewer is lead to believe that one cannot be an individual without shopping at The Gap.
Joseph Otterson
After viewing the two images, it is easy to tell what message the Ad was trying to get out. They both show two individuals, with a young urban look. In the one with the woman, the phrase “Create your own Sound” makes the viewer believe that she is someone wearing clothes reflecting her lifestyle. We are meant to think she is some sort of songwriter (or something along those lines) due to the caption with “sound.” The consumer is sent a message that she just kind of made her own look, which is silly since she is obviously wearing GAP, and buying from a name brand is not Creating you own Sound. It is the same with the other ad, and this one says make your own philosophy. So this philosopher or free thinker is again going against the message GAP was trying to say, since you are not making your own philosophy if you are buying from something everyone else is and conforming.
-Ryan Bender
In the reading from Sturken and Cartwright, interpellation is defined as, “the process by which we come to recognize ourselves in the subject position offered in a particular representation or product”. In the two images given we see a man and women, very casually looking at the camera. They are both wearing a jacket and scarf, giving a look like they just threw the clothes on to stay warm. If I were to put myself into their position I would see myself just putting on comfortable clothes to prepare to walk outside on a chilly day. There is no pressure; it is their own style and it is something they would wear any day without thinking.
This casual feeling that is giving off by the advertisement seems like it would be very appealing to a large group of people. People seem to be looking for the feeling of not caring what people think of them and this ad represents that. The models look to have just thrown on what was comfortable and it happens to create their own style. People that look at these advertisements may like the feeling that is given off by the models and may want to copy that feeling. The company Gap is encouraging people to create their own style from their clothing line and be able to just throw on some clothes and still feel good about how you look or simply don’t care.
-Logan Lovett
Ads today use two styles of displaying their products: sex and individuality. These two ads from The Gap use the individuality approach, but come off as contradictory. When we dress, we try to come across as being our own person, having our own style, which is what most people see. Looking at a person and seeing what they're wearing saysa lot. But when we are told by ads that if we wear their products we will be individuals, we are, in a sense conforming to society. Interpellation means "interupting or delaying continuity" and by the presentation of these ads, Gap is trying to say that wearing their clothing will make you unique. If everyone goes out and buys their clothing in the hope that they will be seen as different from the pack, then nonconformity will become the new conformity.
When we look to mass media for our style, we lose that which we are searching for, our uniqueness. Most ads, when closely looked at, are not remotely close to the average person. Most people can't afford to go out and buy the exact outfit these models are wearing unless they plan on spending hundreds of dollars, which most college kids, the targetrs of these ads, can't afford. Also, the models in the ads rarely show the average person. Girls normally don't fit into a size 2 and guys aren't the perfect 5'10", 150lbs. We are different people and thus should have different styles. Items have become the basis on how we judge people instead of their character, like it should be.
Steven Ball
In these two advertisements GAP has gone beyond the technique of selling their product based on the qualities of the products themselves. Instead they are trying to sell the consumer a unique identity that they claim will be a result of wearing their clothing. The words in the advertisement read “Create your own ____.” Not only does the blank (which is ironically already filled in) impress upon the viewer the opportunity to make these clothes their own, but the word “Create” is an inviting demand that involves them in this advertisement. In this way the viewer can be called upon the take the place of the subject.
The subjects in the two advertisements are depicted as relaxed and somewhat natural which seems to resonate well with younger generations. Their responses to the blank portions in the text read “sound” and “philosophy” which represents their roles of an artist and a philosopher or intellectual. GAP is trying to impress the ideas of identity and character in their clothing. They want the consumers to believe that these clothes will either make them what they want to be or show the rest of the world what they already are. These beliefs can be somewhat contradictory however. The idea of creating your own identity or uniqueness may be lost when you take into account the fact that thousands of other people will be wearing the exact same style of clothing from the brand.
Nathaniel Winter
My initial interpretation of Gaps use of interpellation was the statement complimenting the photograph. The underlined portion allows the viewer to put there own word in the statement, which in turn gave the viewer the ability to put themselves in the advertisement. I think the advertisement also addresses the concept of pseudoindividuality by portraying a simple but sophisticated image. The one color background complimenting a classy, intelligent look to the models. The “fill in the blank” concept of the statement gave the individuality to the ad.
In relations to the individuality of the ad the clothing company has geared this ad to individuals in there mid-twenties to late thirties. The clothing company hopes to sell their product to a mass amount of people. Which contradicts the idea behind the ad. The individuality idea is what will sell the product.
In the reading of Addressing the consumer Sturken and Cartwright talk about a certain Gap campaign using vintage photographs of artistic figures to sell a line of khaki pants to “create a relationship of equivalence between elements within the frame and between the product and its signifier.” For the two images given, though, I can’t seem to find an idea the company had in selling a lifestyle and identification with the brand names and corporate logos.
“Cool” is what these ad’s try and portray, something/someone that “you” want to be. “You” as in the consumer. “You” could be anybody, even a group of people that this advertisement appeals too. What the Gap is trying to do is create an image that “you” could see yourself as. The man, casually dressed, relaxed with his hands in his pockets gives off a very simple likeness of a normal person you might see in your everyday life, or it could be you. His dress is naturally associated with his lifestyle hence the caption beside him saying, “Make your own philosophy” he is purposely dressed to portray this and to relate to the consumer. The woman in a very similar stance as the man is equally as natural in the frame of her picture; Gap establishes a sense of feeling with these ads that you could be her too. Her caption “create your own sound” also conveys the image that she is projecting. These ads were very strategically made for the purpose of relating to people and to convey their individual image, this is called interpellation, which is the assimilation of you into an advertisement.
The Gap ads through the use of its text puts its views into the position of the ad. “Make up your own.” It makes it seem as though you can write in yourself in the provided space. Placing it with a clothing brand makes it seem as though your own identity is represented in their brand of clothing. Gap makes it seem as though any lifestyle can fit their style. The Frankfurt School scholars called this technique “pseudoindividuality” or the false sense of individuality. They make it seem as though you will accomplish this through their clothing.
Although Gap attempts to make its seem as though its not only are they selling their clothing but also selling “lifestyle and identification.” (S&C 198) Ironically as they try to sell individuality through each of their ads the styles of the images are very similar. One is adapted to suit a male and the other a female. Gap is a rather large and popular retail store, which means a great number of consumers shop and buy their products. Which limits the amount of individuality one actually achieves by purchasing these clothes. This technique works over and over not just because consumers feel as though they want to be their own identity, liking this idea of individuality but also in hopes to look as good as the models in the ads. This style is as mass produced as the ads themselves, which is the main focus of a company like Gap.
Zachery Holder
In these two GAP ad’s, the advertisements use phrases such as “Create your own sound” and “Make up your own Philosophy”. These phrases address the viewer directly. These identify the subject position by thinking that the ad is speaking directly to every person that views it. This is the idea of making them the subject position. They are selling the idea of individuality. If you buy these clothes you will become your own person and have your own style just like the people in these ads do. “Advertising thus actively speaks to consumers about their identities, and appears to offer solutions to perceived problems of self-image.” (S&C 216).
These GAP ads are not aiming to sell a specific product, but rather an idea and image. There are no specific clothing articles with a price on the page, just people dressed in GAP clothes to help sell the idea. They are telling the consumer that buying their clothes will help them become who they want to be. Creating your own sound or philosophy is the same as saying you will create your own individuality. At the same time, the ads contradict the fact that you will be individual. If everyone buys these GAP clothes you may still be individual, but you are wearing the same clothes as everyone else, thus making you less individualistic.
Kyle Probst
The Gap advertisement is trying to instill the thought that by purchasing gap clothing, you can create your own trends, or be unique. By “creating your own sound or philosophy” you will have a better understanding of yourself and be happy. However this logic is flawed as soon as you walk into gap and pull an article of clothing off the shelf.
The advertisement calls the viewer to the subject position by putting it directly in front of you. They put the clothing front and center in the middle of the ad with a little bit of text put off to the side and out of the way.
Both of these ads by The Gap are trying to sell an idea to the consumer audience. The idea that they are trying to convey is one of independence and a unique identity. They are trying to tell the consumer that by shopping at the Gap one can effectively express his or her self as an individual. The irony behind this idea is essence the essence of commercial advertisement in which the consumer is duped into identifying with a corporate logo while at the same time striving for individuality. The ads' punch-line is "Create your own__________." The woman in the first ad is presented as an independent artist of sorts, and her word in the blank is "sound." The ad therefore speaks to anyone who might call themself a musician or an artist, the consumer base for which is easily in the hundreds of thousands or even the millions. The second ad with the man is equally as casual. His word to fill the blank is "Philosophy" which speaks to the consumer base that consider themselves to be itellectual or insightful.
The image being portrayed by both ads is very relaxed in pose which gives the belief that the clothing of The Gap is comfortable and also that you will feel comfortable wearing it because it will represent you well. The ads are selling the belief that one can find a unique identity by shopping at The Gap when in reality the clothes are being produced and sold in mass quantities to the masses. So really by creating your own image at The Gap, you are only conforming to their corporate logo just like so many before you.
Jack Kirby
The ads our targeting a direct audience. The Gap clothing is not mainstream but"different." I feel that the Gap wants the people who see these ads to change they way they see original dress. With words like "Create Your Own Philosophy," its hard not to be struck by these photo ads. I think the ads are trying to help people redefine a "Sharp Dresser" and they want to start a new style, a bold style. Your own style thats what I think the Ads are saying.
Chris Moore
Sorry about the lateness of my reply
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