DSDN171 Blog Assignment 7 (Week 10)

In this week’s lecture we discussed the concept of the “symbolic universe” as a cultural “structure of legitimation” capable of organizing the social world as comprehensible and connected. The structure of the symbolic universe then, places the individual in a known and knowable space. Such social structures are critical for societies in transition. Can you identify the creation of any “symbolic universe” today (or in recent years)? How might media and design be implicated in the construction of these social universes today?

One of the most popular areas for the creation of “symbolic universes” today is in advertising. Everywhere we look, companies are creating idyllic situations in their advertisements to make us believe we will be better off by buying their product. This utopian ideal is “a good, beneficent place, better in all ways than that in which its creators live,” (Kihlstedt, 1986, p. 97). One such example of this influence is an ad by well-known surfwear and general clothing label, Billabong. In this ad below, they create a utopia for female teens. Everything the ad, from the joyous expressions on the girls’ faces, to the body language they’re using, to the very choice of gorgeous models, is portraying that the consumer will become these upon purchasing the brand. Of course, it is a ridiculous theory – buying labeled clothes is not guaranteed to make you happier, more attractive, or get you more friends, but something on a subconscious level is targeted by this type of advertising. As with “symbolic universes” created within world fairs of the 20^th century, those created in advertising today “equate[…] happiness with the fulfillment of material needs and wants,” (Kihlstedt, 1986, p. 97).

Media and design are heavily implicated in the construction of “symbolic universes” today, especially in those created in advertising. It is the design of an advertisement that alludes to a utopian ideal that needs to sell the idea to the consumer, so it revolves around the consumers’ ideals. The design aesthetics of this particular poster are light and airy, expressing happiness and carefreeness, because that is what potential buyers want to be shown. Media is implicated because the media forms that will best penetrate the niche market, in this case, print forms, like posters and magazine ad, for the label will be used.

Kihlstedt, F. (1986). Utopia Realized: The World’s Fairs of the 1930s in Imagining Tomorrow: History Technology, and the American Future (pp.97-118). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

http://valenbarbero.blogspot.com/2009/11/chapter-15-billabong-ads.html