The Appeal of Ads

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The Appeal of Ads

When we look at an advertisement, we see what the advertisement company wants use to see in the ad. They have the luxury to cut, paste, and airbrush the photos to their liking and desired look and feel. When we look at ads, we think things and want things based on what we see or what we think we want. Our brains and neglect of reality sell their products for them. They play off human desires and tempt us with images of sexy people and fast cars to sway our view of their product. When we look at photographs, we are strictly confined to the point of view of the photographer. We see what they see and what they want us to see, even if that was not their intention. Photography is a way of distorting reality.

Looking at a beer ad in the July 2001 edition of Maxim, they specifically have a motive, which is obviously to try to convince you to buy their beer. They do that in this specific ad by posing a beautiful girl with a lot of flesh showing, drinking one of their beers. They do this by tricking you into thinking that the reason she is half nude and apparently having a good time is because she happens to have a Budweiser in her hand. Another ad that I looked at in the same Maxim was an M & M's ad, which was asking the simple question "What is it about the green ones?" Surely this can spark an interest to at least look at the ad considering that everybody loves chocolate and for some reason save the green ones for last. I, of course, Looked at the ad and wondered where the green ones were. They were, at first glance, randomly assorted throughout a pile of M & M's. When you look for a little longer, they started to form a word: Sexy. Photographs are a little piece of reality twisted to the photog...

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...oes exactly that because she is beautiful to look at and that caption takes it to another level.

In conclusion, I feel that photography is a way to escape and alter reality. I do not feel like there is an accurate portrayal in today's media. Photography is a way to take the bad out of life and fill it in with good. Do audiences take into mind when looking at photos and ads what goes on behind the scenes? Do we think about the fact that the photographers are making us see what they want us to see or do we just forget and accept? What are the distinct differences between a photo that your little 14-year-old niece takes of Brad Pitt and a picture that you may see in a movie poster? Which one is closer to what is real? Pictures are meant to change how we see things. They are the viewpoint of the photographer and give us insight into another person's viewpoint.

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