Advertising and Consumption: Anthropological Studies in Brazil

This book explores the relationship between consumption, media images, and culture, particularly in Brazil. It draws on decades of research by the author and engages with classic anthropological works to examine how advertising professionals view their craft, resistance to capitalism, images of women, and the case of the first soccer player to become a national media celebrity. The book argues that consumption is a classification system that materializes culture and creates relations between people and goods, presenting advertising as a mode of magical thinking that mediates the passage from production to consumption. It will be of interest to anthropologists, sociologists, and others working on advertising, marketing, communications, and consumer research.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 142 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the intricate relationship between consumption and media images, with a specific focus on advertising, from a cultural perspective. Drawing upon extensive research conducted over decades by the author, it engages with theoretical frameworks and concepts from renowned anthropological works. The chapters explore various aspects of this relationship, including the perspectives of advertising professionals, the resistance against capitalism among native Brazilians, the portrayal of women and their bodies in magazines, and the remarkable story of the first soccer player to achieve national media celebrity status.

Rocha advocates for the study of consumption as a classification system that not only materializes culture but also establishes connections between individuals and goods. Through this lens, advertising emerges as a mode of magical thinking, mediating the transition from the impersonal realm of production to the humanized sphere of consumption. It transforms meaningless objects into meaningful entities with names, origins, identities, and purposes.

This book holds immense appeal to anthropologists, sociologists, and scholars engaged in advertising, marketing, communications, and consumer research. Its insights shed light on the complex dynamics that shape our consumption patterns and the role of media images in shaping our perceptions and beliefs. By examining the cultural dimensions of advertising, this book offers valuable perspectives and methodologies for understanding the evolving consumer landscape and the role of media in shaping our societal norms and values.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032010212