Advertising and Society
Explore advertising's impact on society, culture, and economy. Analyze ads using visual communication theories.
Explore advertising's impact on society, culture, and economy. Analyze ads using visual communication theories.
This course examines the relationship between advertising and society, culture, history, and the economy. Using contemporary theories of visual communications, students learn to analyze complex meanings in print advertisements and television commercials. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including the origins of advertising, ad creation and interpretation, depictions of race, class, gender, and sexuality in advertising, the use of sex in selling, advertising ethics, and the future of the industry. Through lectures, theoretical frameworks, and analysis of specific advertisements, students gain a comprehensive understanding of advertising's role in shaping social norms and consumer behavior.
4.7
(914 ratings)
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What you'll learn
Understand the historical development and societal role of advertising
Analyze print advertisements and TV commercials using visual communication theories
Examine the process of ad creation and the structure of advertising agencies
Evaluate the depiction of race, class, gender, and sexuality in advertising
Assess the effectiveness and ethics of using sex in advertising
Explore the future trends and challenges in the advertising industry
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
5.5 Hours PreRecorded video
7 quizzes
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
FullTime access
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There are 7 modules in this course
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of advertising's role in society, examining its impact on culture, history, and the economy. Students will learn to analyze both print and television advertisements using contemporary theories of visual communication. The curriculum covers a broad range of topics, starting with the origins of advertising and moving through the creation and interpretation of ads, the depiction of social issues like race, class, gender, and sexuality in advertising, the ethics of the industry, and its future directions. Through a combination of lectures, theoretical discussions, and practical ad analysis, students will gain insights into how advertising shapes societal norms, consumer behavior, and cultural values. The course also touches on the changing landscape of advertising in the digital age, exploring new formats and challenges in the industry.
What is advertising and where did it come from?
Module 1 · 2 Hours to complete
Am I being manipulated by advertising?
Module 2 · 1 Hours to complete
What's in an ad beyond that which meets the eye?
Module 3 · 1 Hours to complete
How do ads get made?
Module 4 · 1 Hours to complete
What do ads teach us about race, class, gender, and sexuality?
Module 5 · 1 Hours to complete
Does sex sell?
Module 6 · 1 Hours to complete
What's the future of advertising?
Module 7 · 1 Hours to complete
Fee Structure
Payment options
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Instructor
Professor
William M. O'Barr is a Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Duke University, where he has taught since 1969. He also holds secondary appointments in the Departments of Sociology and English and has served as a visiting professor at Northwestern, Dalhousie, and Oxford. Recognized for his exceptional undergraduate teaching, he has received awards from both the Duke University Alumni Association and Trinity College. His course Advertising and Society: Global Perspectives is among the university's most popular undergraduate offerings, and his seminars include topics such as Advertising and Masculinity, Children and Advertising, and The Language of Advertising. Professor O'Barr is the author and co-author of ten books, including Culture and the Ad: Exploring Otherness in the World of Advertising, Rules versus Relationships, and Just Words: Law, Language, and Power. His anthropological research spans Brazil, China, East Africa, India, Japan, and the US, with a focus on the social and cultural aspects of advertising as well as law in various cultural contexts. In 2000, he founded Advertising & Society Review and served as its editor until 2005. He is also the author of ADTextOnline.org, which features over 25 units published as supplements to A&SR.
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4.7 course rating
914 ratings
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