Advertising and Consumer Culture Reader

<p>Commercial breaks radio spots product placements billboards pop-up ads—we sometimes take for granted how much advertising surrounds us in our daily lives. We may find ads funny odd or even disturbing but we rarely stop to consider their deeper meaning or function within society. </p><p>What exactly does advertising do? How and why do ads influence us? How does the advertising industry influence our media? These are just a few of the many important questions addressed in <em>The Advertising and Consumer Culture Reader</em>—an incisive provocative collection that assembles twenty-seven of the most important scholarly writings on advertising and consumer culture to date. </p><p>The classic and contemporary essays gathered here explore the past present and future of advertising—from the early days of print to the World Wide Web and beyond. These selections offer historical sociological critical cultural and political-economic lenses to explore a wide range of topics—from consumer activism to globalization to the role of ads in the political process. Together these key readings chart the past present and future of advertising while also examining the effects of advertising and consumer culture upon individuals society cultures and the world at large. </p><p>Designed for use in courses the collection begins with a general introduction that orients students to thinking critically about advertising and consumer culture. Section and chapter introductions offer valuable historical and critical context while review questions after each reading will spark classroom debates and challenge students’ understanding of key concepts. </p>