FREE ESSAY ON FREEDOM ADS

FREEDOM ADS

Freedom Ads
In America today, advertisements can be seen just about everywhere. They are frequently
done on
television, radio, and billboards; in newspapers, magazines, and catalogs; and through
direct mail to consumers
around the nation. The purpose of each ad is to appeal to the individual and persuade
them to purchase the
proposed product. These appeals offer the hope of more money and better jobs, security
against the hazards of old
age and illness, popularity and personal prestige. The products also offer praise from
others, more comfort,
increased enjoyment, social advancement, improved appearance, better health, and
freedom.
Born in the 1960's, liberation marketing has advertised goods by using the appeal of
freedom. "Business
theory today is about... liberation," stated Thomas Frank, and "mainstream commercial
America is in love with
revolution and alternative"(Frank 1). Companies use liberation advertisement to appeal to
a person's sense of
individuality, a need to rebel against the norms of society and turn to the alternative.
There are many ads out there
that have this idea incorporated into their message. By examining the "Bacardi By Night"
ad, the "Rave New
World" ad, and Volkswagen's "Driver's Wanted" ads, the consumer can better understand
what makes an
advertisement a liberation advertisement.
There have been many ads that appeal to night life. This touches on the idea that after a
long, strenuous
day at work, everyone needs something that frees them from life's routine stresses and
introduces them to an
escape from the drudgery of life. The "Bacardi By Night" magazine ad is a very simple ad
with only six words:
"Cubicles By Day, Bacardi By Night." Many Americans consider work to be a trap, and
certainly not fun. This ad
suggests freedom at the end of slaving for the boss all day; rebellion against normal,
boring, everyday life. It shows
a large picture of a party where everyone is drinking Bacardi, laughing, and feeling
free.
Drinking and laughing, however, doesn't make everyone feel free. Some people think of
being free as
wide open spaces; the sky, for instance, outer space, or a desert; the scenery for the
"Rave New World" magazine
advertisement. In this ad, the subtitle speaks of "fast-forward(ing) into the 21st
century" and "head(ing) for a new
horizon," giving the reader the option of either remaining in the life of today, or
turning to the alternative; the
future. These phrases cause the reader to imagine escaping from the 20th century and more
importantly, from
present-day trials and tribulations.
Factors such as overwork, boredom, and hierarchy are obstacles that Volkswagen ads
suggest can be
resisted as long as you own one of their vehicles. One recent "Drivers Wanted" television
commercial showed a
"soulless" office made of glass and steel, suggesting that "on the road of life, there
are entrepreneurs and then there
are hapless organization drones"(Frank 3). The soul individualizes a person. By
suggesting that owning a
Volkswagen vehicle offers a new soulful life to replace that of the soulless drone,
appeals to a person's sense of
individuality. This theme coincides with that of the Bacardi ad as well as many others in
America today.
Although not all ads focus on liberation, it seems to have become one of the most popular
themes in
advertising today. The three examples discussed clearly promise more than the product
actually can deliver. This is
the gist of liveration marketing, and even though it is not the only technique used, it
seems to be the most effective.
The "Bacardi By Night," "Rave New World," and "Driver's Wanted" ads all illustrate
liberation from everyday life
and freedom with their product.
Bibliography
Works Cited
Frank, Thomas. Home page. 1997 .