Opinion Articles

*Ads' minuses
By Tracey Edstein

Some years ago now a poem that was a popular choice for English teachers exploring the topic of advertising proclaimed the advertiser "this trumpeter of nothingness". I guess there was a time when advertisements were entertaining, perhaps effective but largely innocuous and forgettable. I fear that time is long past.

The experience of watching commercial television today - at least between programs - is likely to veer wildly from inanity to confrontation. It is the latter that I wish to explore.

Once the worst that one would encounter would be sexism, at the expense of either women or men. Women would be disporting themselves provocatively, promoting everything from cars to condiments, or men's incompetence in the kitchen or nursery would score an easy laugh.

Now the world of television advertising seems to have moved up, or down, several notches, depending on your perspective.

The first particularly galling example of this genre to attract my attention recently was an advertisement for a furniture retailer. You know the one: husband (or, in contemporary parlance, partner) arrives home to find the loungeroom furniture consigned to the lawn. Fearing the worst, he rushes inside to tell the lady of the house that "She means nothing to me." Only then does he realise that the loungeroom is filled with new furniture, courtesy of a certain retailer. In a deeply symbolic action, the woman snips off the heads of the flowers she is holding.

The first time I saw this, I thought there was a wry cleverness and an appealing simplicity in the approach. The next time, I found it disturbing. No doubt the advertiser's purpose is achieved because I did find it memorable - but I won't be buying any new furniture.

Why was I disturbed? Fundamentally because the issue of infidelity is now seen as one to be taken lightly and accepted without question as part of the contemporary moral landscape. After a few more viewings, I saw the irony of the fact that the woman who has splashed out on new furniture - and her partner - will probably end up in considerably straitened circumstances. If the relationship survives, it will never be the same. There will always be tension and unease, and new furniture will be cold comfort.

Worse, however, was to come. Another couple, this time definitely married, has reached the divorce court. It is time for disbursement of assets. The magistrate announces that the woman will receive all property except the 4WD vehicle. The man is elated, rushes to aforementioned vehicle, to be followed by the magistrate. She is literally ripping off her legal attire to reveal a bikini and then she joins the newly divorced man in the vehicle to drive off into a blissful life together. But how long will it last?

This advertisement made the previous example seem tame. Apart from the clear legal impropriety, the viewer can only feel that the wife has not lost a great asset in her husband. No doubt some might see humour in the scenario, but they won't be people who have suffered the indignity of a spouse's infidelity, or who have endured a painful divorce and property settlement.

Again, it is a sad reflection on our society when such matters are fodder for blatant consumerism.

Moving away from television, a recent print advertisement for one of those appalling child-free communities is based on the desirability of one's friends being jealous of one's wisdom and foresight in investing in such a community. Again, the dubious values being promoted increasingly define the society we are fast becoming.

Yes, there are good news stories - Aurora tries to bring them to you - but generally, they don't make the front page and they don't sell products.

Undoubtedly there are, and there will be, other examples of this trend. If we are disturbed by them, we can refuse to buy the product or service, but realistically, this probably won't make much difference. A more effective tactic would be to contact the advertiser and express your concern, and your intention to discuss your feelings widely and not to patronise the company. Now, I have letters to write.

*This article was published in The Newcastle Herald, 10th June 2003