Wednesday 30 November 2011

American Consumerism

This Nike advertisement is striking because it places emphasis on the slogan 'Just Do It,' rather than the logo or the product. This message supports the American ideology of optimism and hope, as the advertisement motivates individuals to be enthusiastic about football through the use of the imperative slogan. The logo need not be in a large print because the slogan has become familiar around the world and audiences are likely to associate football with this sports brand, therefore this demonstrates how powerful the company has become. On the other hand, Nike could be opposing the consumerist culture by making the brand name insignificant.
Firstly, the advertisement has symbolic value, because it suggests that people from around the world are unified by football, regardless of wealth or race, seeing as this advert depicts a person without shoes therefore the individual may not be wealthy, but nevertheless he is worthy of being represented in a Nike advert because materialism is unimportant. Furthermore it represents equality and diversity, as the setting implies that the individual may not be in America, seeing as the U.S. is stereotypically shown in advertisements through vibrant cities. In addition, the setting of this advertisement depicts the globalization of companies such as Nike and suggests that the values it represents are applicable to society as a whole. Furthermore, Nike may have chosen to specify football rather than any other sport due to its popularity, particularly in European countries.
Although the age of these individuals is unclear, they are likely to be children or teenagers, therefore the advertisement appeals to the youth around the world who are becoming the prime targets for consumerism, because stereotypically they exercise vanity. However, marketing towards the youth is beneficial because Nike represents sport and this in turn, advertises exercise. This is relevant to Americans, especially today, as nearly 20% of children in the U.S. suffer from obesity. The advertisement highlights the athletic bodies of these individuals and as a result, consumers may aspire to become fitter and healthier.
Due to the athletic figure of these individuals, it could be concluded that the advertisement is aimed at males, however the photograph does not include the upper half of their bodies, possibly because the sex of these people is insignificant and this once again implies a sense of unity between consumers. The advertisement focuses on the sport, rather than on popular football players for example; thus proving that Nike is capable of resisting the consumer culture.

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