Review by Choice Review
Moog provides an interesting departure from the standard treatment of advertising in academia. The author, a clinical psychologist and advertising consultant, attempts to explain the psychological effect that advertising has on the consumer. The result is an entertaining book on such diverse subjects as the use of children in ads, stereotypes, contradiction, creativity gone awry, and sex. Moog draws on her experiences with patients to show how specific advertisements work on our psyches. Most of the advertising campaigns discussed are very familiar and so the reader can relate the text to personal experience. Of particular interest are passages describing how the results of some ad campaigns are the opposite of advertising agency intentions. The concluding chapter on the future of advertising is perceptively written and provides some excellent food for thought. Recommended for general readers as well as undergraduate and graduate students in marketing. -M. F. Austin, Castleton State College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Psychologist Moog, a consultant to advertising agencies and advertisers, analyzes numerous print and broadcast advertisements. Drawing from her own experiences in the industry, she discusses various advertising tactics, such as using children in ads and intimidation advertising (a battery company that used a spiky-haired macho-man as its spokesperson, for example). Specific advertising blunders, such as Burger King's use of the nerdy "Herb" character and a bizarre campaign by a cigarette company, are examined along with political advertising, sex in advertising, product placement in feature films, and advertising trends. Although Moog critiques various advertising campaigns, she doesn't offer much insight into the creative process. Readers expecting such information will be disappointed with this credible though rather lackluster look at advertising. To be indexed. --Sue-Ellen Beauregard
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
How much and what kind of power does advertising exercise over us, especially over our self-image, asks psychologist and advertising consultant Moog in this penetrating, authoritative study of techniques designed to seduce consumers of all ages from every social, ethnic and economic group. Citing examples of the damaging effects of pervasive advertising on her patients, Moog shows that a language of symbols sells fantasies, often subliminally, and imposes an unrealizable ideal lifestyle. Ads exploit guilt, insecurities and obsession with youth, and cater to vanity and social status, the author argues; also, they largely determine our sexual and political choices and influence cultural attitudes. Photos. Author tour. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
In this volume, clinical psychologist Moog, who has also worked as a market researcher, shows how contemporary advertising plays upon human hopes, fears, anxieties, and fantasies to sell products. Various sections treat topics such as ads that feed on human tendencies to be aggressive; the use of babies and adorable children to grab attention; and the perpetuation of social and cultural stereotypes by advertisers. Certain to generate controversy is chapter 7, in which Moog discusses ads which use overt or hidden sexual meanings to associate the product with enhanced sexual attractiveness for the product user. Well illustrated with approximately 120 ads, this is recommended for social science and business collections.-- Gene R. Laczniak, Marquette Univ., Milwaukee (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Here, Moog, a delver in clinical psychology-cum-market research, presents a primer on how TV and print advertising interacts with reality. The bulk of Moog's text consists of ""critiquing ads"" at length for the edification of those who never learned from the likes of Vance Packard, on the one hand, or David Ogilvy, on the other. Whether it's the classic Maidenform dream ads or the musky Calvin Klein perfume promotions, Moog's not-so-startling synthesis is that image, not product, is being sold. Working her way through such matters as stereotypes (she doesn't cotton to displays of fat people, but ""an attractive heavy woman"" passes muster) or salacious hustles (featuring such come-ons as ""the submissive female-rump presentation"" to sell jeans), the author illustrates with some ten-dozen photos--enough to equal several slick magazines or a couple of hours before the tube. The gimmick here is the combination of advertising imagery with simplistic case studies supposedly drawn from Moog's private practice. There's ""Marlene"" with her sexual hang-ups, ""Kevin"" with his midlife crisis, chubby ""Lynn"" and an army of others. But drawing a significant connection between patently fictional characters and advertising proves fruitless and diminishes an otherwise mildly entertaining text. The use of actors rather than ""real"" people, as Moog notes, has blighted many campaigns. It can do the same for a book. An offhand study of what Madison Avenue is really selling; not a bad one, but subject, perhaps, to overselling. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
Review by Kirkus Book Review
