Discourse in Advertising.
I’m taking a course this term called Discourse in Advertising. I was a bit hesitant to take an advertising course. I’m a bit of a English major purist and love the creative artistic side of writing, and can’t help but think that using rhetoric and language to feed our society’s consumerist monster is a bit of an abomination.
However, as it turns out I love this class. It has both a design and a theoretical focus, and it has become a much needed outlet for creativity. (I’m sorely missing my Creative Writing courses this year.) I’m finding as my university career comes to a close that I really thrive in the classes where I’m allowed to use whatever I’m learning to actually make something. (Should I go to college?)
Our first major assignment was due last week. The only guideline was to make two posters advertising a product of our choice. I chose the boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics as my “product.” The Chinese government is the largest supporter of the Sudanese regime that is responsible for the current genocide in Darfur. Sudan supplies China with oil, and therefore the Chinese government is hesitant to participate in any effort to pressure the Sudanese government to stop the slaughter. Instead, they are supporting the genocide, and hoping the world will turn a blind eye.
I still have a lot to learn, and I’m definitely more satisfied with the second ad. It was hard to find images to fit my different ideas, and going to Sudan to take pictures wasn’t really an option. However, I really had a lot of fun. This class is really challenging me, so I’m sure I’ll be writing about it a lot.
