Sunday, 12 February 2017

‘Absolute advertising, ground zero advertising’

‘Simulcra and Simulation’ by Jean Baudrillard was a very insightful read, however there were some points that I found particularly intriguing.

‘ADVERTISING IS NO LONGER A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION OR OF INFORMATION’ –Jean Baudrillard

Baudrillard believes that advertising is superficial, with no depth to it and is easily forgotten. He argues that whilst people still believe in it/ have not accepted it as a routine, it is losing its effect due to ‘the languages of computer science’. He argues that due to the mass advertising that is present in every area of our society,  its effect is diminished.

Baudrillard uses Las Vegas as an example. Las Vegas is known for its advertising, with its billboards lighting up the city at night. He states that ‘advertising is not what brightens or decorates the walls, it is what effaces the walls, effaces the streets, the facades and all the architecture’. He claims that this advertising makes life staged and a hyper-reality (‘hyperreal euphoria’).

Bibliography:
‘Simulcra and Simulation’ by Jean Baudrillard: hand-out in class

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