Advertising, the uneasy persuasion : its dubious impact on American society

A examination of advertising in America, as a business and as a social institution, finds much lacking in the business's importance and effectiveness and much that is problematic in advertising's social impact. What Does Advertising Do? Is It The Faith Of A Secular Society? If So, Why Does It Inspire So Little Devotion? Advertising, The Uneasy Persuasion Is A Clear-eyed Account Of Advertising As Both Business And Social Institution. Instead Of Fuelling The Moral Indignation Surrounding The Industry, Or Feeding Fantasies Of Powerful Manipulators, Michael Schudson Presents A Clear Assessment Of Advertising In Its Wider Sociological And Historical Framework, Persuasively Concluding That Advertising Is Not Nearly As Important, Effective, Or Scientifically Founded As Either Its Advocates Or Its Critics Imagine. Introduction -- 1. The Advertiser's Perspective -- 2. What Advertising Agencies Know -- 3. The Consumer's Information Environment -- 4. An Anthropology Of Goods -- 5. Historical Roots Of Consumer Culture -- 6. The Emergence Of New Consumer Patterns: A Case Study Of The Cigarette -- 7. Advertising As Capitalist Realism -- 8. An Evaluation Of Advertising. Michael Schudson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Advertising, the Uneasy Persuasion Title Page Copyright Page Original Title Page Original Copyright Page Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface to the Paperback Edition Introduction 1 The Advertiser's Perspective 2 What Advertising Agencies Know 3 The Consumer's Information Environment 4 An Anthropology of Goods 5 Historical Roots of Consumer Culture 6 The Emergence of New Consumer Patterns: A Case Study of the Cigarette 7 Advertising as Capitalist Realism 8 An Evaluation of Advertising Afterword Notes Index THE BASIC FACT to remember about advertising," Jeremy Tunstall wrote in his study of British advertising agencies, "is that little is known about what effect it has; even to talk of advertising having an effect is misleading." Assesses the impact of advertising on American society--advertising as a business and as a social institution