McLuhan - Advertising & Consumer Culture

For this week’s open topic I thought it would be relevant to discuss McLuhan’s stance on advertising and capital consumerism as well as the theme of the American Dream. In our lecture, we referenced McLuhan’s book and his argument that advertising is all about getting inside the collective mind. Once advertisers are able to get into the collective mind they are then able to manipulate and control the individual into participating in consumerism. 

Capital consumerism also has a part to play in the concept of the American Dream. The American Dream is the idea that individuals strive for high aspirations and goals to better their life and inhibit the “ideal lifestyle”. Achieving the American Dream also means being in the upper class, having financial stability and freedom, and therefore the ability to be a super-consumer. Commodity fetishism is a term used to describe the relationship between commodities and people. Furthermore, the way that certain commodities like luxury goods depict a specific social status or relationship. Advertising does an effective job of targeting those that participate in consumer culture to purchase items that provide the person with status or a feeling of belonging to a certain social group. 


Malls are a prime example of the American Dream and a utopian space that is meant for consumerism and encouraging consumerism through advertising. McLuhan refers to advertising as a world of social myths. These social myths are heightened during times like Boxing Day and more recently Black Friday. Boxing Day and Black Friday are the epitome of encouraging consumer culture through the use of advertising but also the perfect time to encourage those in the middle and lower class to take advantage of sales on luxury goods. Sale days like these are effective at encouraging the average individual into taking advantage of discounted luxury items to improve their social status. Overall, advertising is the fuel to capital consumerism and what encourages individuals to participate in a utopian path of social progress towards achieving the American Dream.


Discussion Question:

In regard to commodity fetishism, what are some brands or products that come to mind that you associate with a specific social status or relationship?

Comments

  1. Victoria BearaNovember 30, 2022 at 12:26 PM

    Hi Megan,
    This is a great post! I really like how you connected the American dream with capital consumerism. To answer your question in regards to commodity fetishism, a brand I associate with is lululemon. Lululemon is a brand I find myself wearing on a day-to-day basis. However, there are many brands similar to lululemon. For example, the brand 'fabletics' arguably has the same fabric as lululemon and retails for much cheaper. Yet, I don't own any fabletics. Why? Because I am associating myself with the social status or relationship with lululemon. I wear their clothes over fabletics because of their name. I am aware it is a silly concept, but many of us are guilty of it. In addition, conspicuous consumption is a term that also relates to your post. People purchase items for the prime reason of displaying wealth. It ties into your question of social status, as people want to publicly display social status through their consumer items. They may not be of that social class, but they want you to think they are specifically through their consumption.

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    1. Dylan GowanlockDecember 1, 2022 at 10:47 AM

      Hello Megan,
      I really enjoyed reading your post this week. I think it's interesting that McLuhan pointed out that the main objective for advertisers is to get in to the collective mind. In terms like this, advertising as a whole can be seen simply as a psychological tool. It is then not a question of whether or not an individual needs a product out of necessity, it is simply whether they can be influenced to the point in which they think they need it. Persuasion at its very core. I think the "American Dream" is perpetuated in areas of society outside of advertising as well. Take film for example, how many characters that we have fallen in love with over the years owned that nice house, or car, or that fancy suit/dress , or worked for that powerful company, or can be seen shopping. These ideas are all around us subconsciously in an effort to maintain the status quo of consumerism.

      As for your question regarding commodity fetishism, I am completely guilty of this with so many brands as I'm sure many of our peers are. I play tennis twice a week and won't even step on the court without Nike socks on. Sounds terrible to even type that out but it is true and can happen on larger scales in any other area of life. Thanks again for sharing!

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