If the Victoria’s Secret fashion show is anything to go by, this week has been a lesson in our unashamed, gleeful consumerism. We really don’t care that you are selling us something, so long as it’s done in the with most sparkle and glitz with all our fave celebs attached (WWTD **What Would Taylor Do**).
In the case of Victoria’s Secret, as highlighted by Snapshot columnist Gagandeep, the show shamelessly targets their PINK products at a generation of impressionable young women – all too ready to nag their parent’s purse strings for their first twinkly pair of VS pants (free gift of the pressure to grow up to be Candice Swanepoele included). Looking at photos of these physical phenomenons, it is apparent that the image of ideal female beauty broadcast to the world by the Victoria’s Secret Angels is unrealistic. But the danger is that we do not realise this. Moreso there is a danger that we fail to see past the showmanship, and remember that this remains a glorified advert. This is a fashion show, not a concert and the Angels are selling us an ideal and a new bra.
The manipulation of commercial images has been a theme on Her Campus this week. Ilka Kemp – Hall’s article “Why Wear a Poppy?” explores another example of this. She highlights how recent years have seen people actively refusing to wear the poppy. The meaning of the Remembrance Day symbol has been twisted; the poppy has been adopted for the purpose of justifying war, with worrying associations with arms companies and “Future Soldier” campaigns. This is the unfortunate reality of marketing – we are drawn to recognisable symbols and companies know this.
We have to be wary of what we are being sold then. Of course, this can prove difficult when, as soon as the last rotting pumpkin has been binned, we are bombarded with an onslaught of Christmas adverts. (If you have somehow been lodging with the man on the moon this week, please refer to The Telegraph’s handy list to get up to date on Xmas 2015.) Ever since the infamous John Lewis boy and his present, the store has been at war with itself to produce an advert more sentimental than the last. The knock on effect for the rest of Christmas advertising is the creation of a culture of nostalgic consumerism. They turn us into balls of Christmas emotion, then send us straight out to our nearest department store for some retail therapy.
The thing is, we love it. Advertisement has become the event of the season. Forget about the Christmas No. 1, it’s all about the Christmas advert these days. Social media has gone wild with hash-tags and shares. Remember when it was only the arrival of the Coca-Cola Santa that signalled Chrimbo? Now the release of the John Lewis Christmas advert warrants as much hype as a blockbuster movie.
“The Man on the Moon” hasn’t quite had the desired effect this year though. Whilst it made me cry (a low point I will admit, and hangover fuelled), it seems that Sainsbury’s might have stolen the show with their offering of Judith Kerr’s “Mog’s Christmas Calamity”. It’s a well-loved children’s story. It’s animated. It’s narrated by Emma Thompson. And Mog’s face looks like this:
(Photo credit: Daily Mail/Sainsbury’s)
I’m done.
Of course, these adverts are not all about profit. Sainsbury’s 2014 campaign saw a partnership with the Royal British Legion, with profit from sales of their chocolate bar going to the organisation. This year’s campaign is no different – “Mog the cat” supports Save the Children with all profits from sales of the book going to support children’s literacy. This year John Lewis follows suit and “The Man on the Moon” raises awareness for Age UK. Yet, all the while these remain commercial promotions. Commercials hidden beneath carefully crafted Christmas narratives to create an advertorial story complete with toys, books, mugs, apps and more. Last year, Monty the Penguin came under fire for Monty’s price tag of £95. Sainsbury’s was itself at fault for using the First World War as a marketing ploy.
I should stop before I spiral into a cynical whirlwind of our essential slavery to the Man.
I guess we should remember that these ads are enjoyable. Yes, ok, so they might just be selling us our next bottle of Coke, but they provide a whole lot of sparkle in the mean time. And if John Lewis is going to splash £7 million on their latest ad, it certainly means the end product is going to be something worth watching. As long as we are aware of the true meaning of Christmas ads I see no harm in shedding a tear for the man on the moon. He’d been waiting so bloody long for that telescope.
Also, Mog:
(Photo credit: Daily Mail/Sainsbury’s)
– Ella XO
P.S. This week saw the launch of Anna’s new column “My Bristol Bucket List” – check it out, she ticks off The Cori Tap!
(Feature Image Credit: Metro/John Lewis/PA)