Advertising Culture: Apple, Think Differently

McFall believes that there is no new or changed era in our new post-modern advertising campaigns. It is simply a development that has followed the development of politics, economics and technology. However, she argues that culture and economics are very difficult to define and therefore it is very difficult to decide whether advertising has followed suit or has forged the way (McFall, 2004). After the Second World War, advertising has been thought responsible for "false" demand and sustaining a capitalist economy (McFall, 2004). This could be true, I believe in our modern times, there has been an influx of products we "need" rather than products we desire or would quite like. We live in a culture of demand, businesses demanding our constant attention through advertising on websites, television and in cinemas and consumers demanding better, faster and more efficient products.

Take Apple as a prime example of its constant presence and development through the last five decades. Modern Apple is a very popular product and one that is a dominant company in Western society, perhaps becoming part of our culture. There is always a buzz around the new iPhone, the upgrade no matter how small has a massive hype in the media, from Apple itself and from consumers around the globe. Apple's ad campaigns, however, often do not mention the product, but the values of Apple itself.

 This speech and advertisement is from 1997.

This advertisement is from 2014. This is a perfect example of McFall's point that advertising has not made a dramatic change in the last few decades. Apple has stuck with the same message and the same kind of message, this kind of strategy could be seen by consumers as reliable, and consistent. They found a message that works and kept with it. Although things around the company have changed, the technology and politics of the company will undoubtedly have shifted with the  movement of time, however their advertising has stayed the same.

However, I do believe that culture does have some effect on advertising and the products that Apple produce. They do use the new branches of advertising such as online advertising to keep their product in the front of the consumers' mind (Akuja, Jackson, 2015). They have also tapped into the idea that cold, hard selling does not work, if advertising is going to connect to the consumer, it must have heart (Batey, 2016). Although Apple just sell technology, they must reach out to people (perhaps most importantly, youngsters) who are stereo-typically, interested in mobile phones, upgrades and new gadgets (Jackson, Ajuka,2015). Batey argues that Apple have found a way to "humanize" their technology, so that it relates to the human senses (2015).

In conclusion, I do believe to some extent that companies, especially global companies such as Apple have found a rhetoric that works and kept it, mainly to keep their identity and trust with consumers. However, I also believe that advertising does effect cultural society and vice versa, it is so intertwined that there is no knowing who influenced who first. But connecting to a global audience on a personal level has helped companies, such as Apple to use not only their own advertising but word of mouth to promote their products for them. It is possible that over the last few decades, advertising campaigns have changed their tactics to become more personal with customers, to engage with audiences in a more human way. Advertisers such as Apple do have to keep their eye on what is happening culturally and economically so that they can keep on advertising effectively to their desired audience.

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References

Apple, 2014. Apple - Perspective. [video online]. Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ1SDXbij8Y&t=3s> [Accessed 19/02/2017]

Batey, M., 2nd ed. 2016. Brand Meaning: Meaning, Myth and Mystique in Today's Brands. London: Routledge.

Brokop, R., 2013. Best marketing strategy ever! Steve Jobs Think different / Crazy Ones Speech (with real subtitles). [video online]. Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=keCwRdbwNQY>. [Accessed 19/02/2017]

Jackson, G., Akuja, V., 2015. Dawn of the digital age and the evolution of the marketing mix. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice. London: MacMillan Publishers. pp 170-186.

McFall, L., 2004. Advertising a Cultural Economy. London: Sage Publications.