Glorious Freedom now with Tampax!

Today consumers are constantly aimed with creative and effective advertising campaigns. Without even noticing it, consumers fall into the enchanted world of advertising. The world of advertising is full of perfection and success where everyone could find a way to be identified with. Advertising could be compared with an anchor that connects people with a constantly evolving world. By the mid-1800’s, printed works helped advertising to perpetuate it’s pace through history; but technology has extended advertising representations to its max. Advertising's role since the mid-1800's hasn't really changed. The effectiveness of advertising has always been based on common devices of persuasion that appeal to our emotions rather than our reason. Enclosed, is a Tampax magazines ad published on 1941. Implied on this ad are three of the most common device used in advertising: Glittering Generalities, Testimonial, and Band Wagon

This add displays a woman wearing a swimming suit whose body language expresses happiness and self-confidence. The picture of the woman is framed within two expressions: “Vacation Discovery!” and “Glorious freedom now with Tampax”. For a better understanding of this ad, let’s remote ourselves back in 1941 where women were not as independent as they are today. The expression “Glorious freedom now with Tampax” immediately aims to women who might want to think and act for themselves. Before going farther with details, lets define what Glittering Generalities device is. Glittering Generalities is a device where “virtue-words” appeal to our emotions and make us accept and approve the add without examining the evidence. On this particular case, the add suggests that women, by using this accessory, will enjoy a glorious freedom while on vacation. Is that all what women’s freedom is about?

Furthermore, this ad has not only been delivered by several “virtue-words”. A three-paragraph text also intends to persuade the audience (women). The text begins where the woman picture ends and continues down to the ad bottom. On the second and third paragraph, the expressions “A doctor has perfected Tampax…” and “Accepted for Advertising by the Journal of the American Medical Association” can exemplify the Testimonial device. This device suggests, by using authorities, that something is good.

Whoever reads this ad could infer that Tampax is trustable; since, it has been previously examined by a doctor and approved by a medical entity; however, he/she might not notice that the Doctor’s name doesn’t appear on the text and that The Journal of the American Medical Association is media entity.

Y.D.