Reading Response 6

In Jean Kilbourne’s article “Jesus is a Brand of Jeans,” she observes the impact advertisements have had on today’s society. With advertisements everywhere we go, there is no possible way to avoid them. One can try, but eventually, we all run into them. She goes onto explain how advertisements are helping us replace real human relationships with the products being sold. She insists, “The problem with advertising isn’t that it creates artificial needs, but it exploits our very real and human desires. Advertising promotes a bankrupt concept of relationship.” She means that advertisements have a way of making us think these objects can give us real human desires. Such as true friendships, love, all things realistically money cannot buy. She also states, “We learn from childhood that it is far safer to make a commitment to a product than a person, far easier to be loyal to a brand.” Since products can’t betray us or there is really no work involved in that “relationship” it has taken over what our culture is all about now. They are displaying a quicker easier way to fill those desires, instead of working through our problems. Objects are becoming a quick fix for us emotionally and that is the mission of advertisements. They are so carefully crafted, every second of each commercial or every little piece of a billboard was thought so deeply to manipulate us into these thoughts. People are in such denial of advertisements, they continue to brush it off. They are allowing these products to get in the way of the things money can’t buy and in a sense filling a void.
In Kilbourne’s article she states that at every one of her lectures she always hears people say, “I don’t pay attention to ads… I just tune them out… they have no effect on me.” And as I was reading this article and thinking about advertisements I found myself saying the same thing. Then, I took a look into my closet and found brand name jeans and brand name shoes. I have been in denial of how advertisements have truly affected me. I have fallen for the tricks advertisements have attempted to play on everyone. I pretend like I’m different and there is no way I’d fall for that, but in reality I am just the same. In the summer, before I sold my car, I would always see commercials for faster, newer cars. The advertisements would make me feel like my car wasn’t good enough, it gave me a sense that I would be happier if I had a new car. Even though, I had a car that ran perfectly fine and had never crapped out on me, I still wanted to try and give it up just for something shinier and newer. I knew it wouldn’t get me more friends or make me look cooler. I don’t even care about all that, but because of an advertisement I did for a little bit. I hopped on the computer looking for better cars that I could afford, desperately searching. I ended up not buying a new car and selling my old one and I’ve been very content without one. I’m glad I didn’t end up buying a new car, but I still find myself falling for their little tricks. With shoes, clothes, anything and it can be very annoying. It’s just crazy how that 30 seconds can really make such an impact.