BY: NADIA ZAIDI Recently, Dove decided to release an ad that showed a black woman taking off her t-shirt to reveal a white woman underneath. There was a bottle of soap in the corner. I guess my only question now…
Celebrity endorsements: stop buying the shit that famous people are selling you
Recently Kylie and Kendall Jenner were in the news for superimposing their Instagram pictures over iconic photos of Tupac and Biggie on t-shirts. Although the idea was very stupid it definitely got me thinking about why they felt they could get…
When a soft drink becomes a symbol of human rights
BY: NADIA ZAIDI I can’t help but think twice before reaching for a can of Pepsi. At the risk of sounding dramatic, it isn’t exactly the current beverage of choice. In fact, it’s become a symbol of misguided advertising and…
Advertisers are doing anything they can to get your attention with these kinds of ads.
By: Jocelyn Schwalm When deviating outside of social norms, is it possible ad companies have gone too far? Shock advertisers use psychology to their advantage, knowing that the deeper the disturbance they cause, the more likely people are going to…
Feminism has become the ultimate brand
Our society has commonly sexualized and misappropriated women’s bodies. Pornography often shows women and their bodies succumb to male whim. We have always used the female body to sell products like cars, movies and even food. Yet when Kim Kardashian…
How package designers are masters of manipulation
BY: NATHANIEL ASTUDILLO What if, as an artist, you got to have your work displayed around the world, only to have it all end up in a trash can? How much value can something disposable have? And why are Apple…
This ad agency will no longer create ads that objectify women or use them as props
BY: JESSICA BEUKER Recently, a short video surfaced and has been making its way around the Internet. “We Are #WomenNotObjects” features a montage of advertisements that depict women scantily clad or in suggestive poses. The video also shows women holding…
Infographic shows the top ten most shameful lies that companies have used to sell their products
BY: ROB HOFFMAN In the consumeristic vortex of modern life, it’s important to constantly remind ourselves that, despite the encouragement of blinking advertisements and slick marketing specialists, for-profit business is rarely erected out of the kindness of the CEO’s heart—and…
An American artist is bitchslapping invasive ads by replacing them with serene photos of nature
BY: CONNOR BRIAN Advertising has become inescapable. The imposing glare of a commercial message is likely cluttering your computer screen as you read this. Step outside onto city streets and you might notice the flashing neon signs, billboards, kiosks, posters,…