[Type[Type aa quotequote fromfrom thethe documentdocument oror thethe International Journal of Journalism and Mass Communication IJJMC summarysummary ofof anan interestinginteresting point.point. YouYou Vol. 1(1), pp. 002-010, March, 2014. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 2143-2686 cancan positionposition thethe texttext boxbox anywhereanywhere inin thethe document.document. UseUse thethe TextText BoxBox ToolsTools tabtab toto changechange thethe formattingformatting ofof thethe pullpull quotequote texttext box.]box.] Conceptual Article Defining advertising: A carnivalesque perspective Gulnara Z. Karimova Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research, Almaty, Kazakhstan Email: [email protected] Using the concepts of literary criticism advanced by Mikhail Bakhtin, this paper provides an alternative methodology for reading advertising text and demonstrates how carnival culture is incorporated advertising texts, such as an on-line commercial for JBS Men’s underwear, and print advertisements for Glassing Sunglasses and Mattel-Scrabble. Carnivalesque analysis suggests that advertising has always been part of popular culture and is influenced by earlier carnivalesque forms. When analyzed within the carnivalesque framework, advertising text can be understood not only in terms of a cultural narrative reproducing the capitalist social order, but also running counter to dominant capitalist ideology. This paradox has an important implication on how one perceives and defines advertising. Keywords: Advertising, Bakhtin, carnival, laughter, popular culture Word count: 6, 613 INTRODUCTION Various textual practices have been interpreted within the can form an analytical framework that views advertising Bakhtinian framework of carnival, including films, such as as containing ambiguous voices that support and at the The Big Lebowski (Martin & Renegar, 2007), Terminator, same time, resist the dominant ideology of capitalism. Terminator 2: Judgment Day and 12 Monkeys Thus, a carnivalesque analysis provides additional (Dimitrakaki & Tsiantis, 2002); 1950s British comedies information to various phenomena of popular culture, (Sobchack, 1996); the animated series The Simpsons including advertising, by revealing the liberating power of (Gray, 2006); the news and entertainment journal The popular-cultural texts and defeating the fear of death that Onion (Achter, 2008), horror fiction such as The Shining is used by official institutions to expand their hegemony (Holland-Toll, 1999), and Frankenstein; The Modern (Bauman, 2004; Lachmann, 19880-1989). By revealing Prometheus (Holquist, 1994); TV program Jackass the paradox embedded in advertising texts, a (Brayton, 2007); and the political campaign of Jesse carnivalesque analysis leads to reexamining the definition Ventura (Janack, 2006). These carnivalesque of advertising. interpretations have classified popular culture in many This article opens with a discussion of the concept of different ways: as escapist, as resistant to the ideology of advertising followed by an analysis of the Bakhtinian capitalism, containing “visions of utopia, collectivity or notion of carnival. The study continues with an analysis of even emancipation” (Dimitrakaki & Tsiantis 2002: 209). various advertising text – the representative examples of Although advertising is one of the most ubiquitous carnivalesque imaginary, – such as on-line commercial manifestations of popular culture (Jowett, 1996: XI), it has for JBS underwear, print advertisements for Glassing never been examined as a form of resistance to the Sunglasses, and Scrabble. The article‟s conclusion ideology of capitalism. On the contrary, advertising is discusses the author‟s findings based on the analysis of seen as central to the reproduction of capitalist social the aforementioned text and proposes a revised definition order (Jhally, 2000). However, the concept of carnival of advertising. Defining advertising: A carnivalesque perspective Karimova 002 THE CONCEPT OF ADVERTISING construction of the message by the „observer‟ who ascribes to the message a meaning of promotion within There are a significant number of different definitions the specific framing which is created by the „observer‟ offered by practitioners and academicians (see Richards him/herself. & Curran, 2002: 65-67). Richards and Curran (2002) This definition resolves the problems embedded in conducted a survey via mail by sending questionnaires to Richards and Curran‟s definition of advertising. It “well-known agency executives, presidents of considers the blurred borderline between art, literature professional organizations, government regulators, and and advertising. Under the subjective analysis of a respected academics” (68) in order to develop a new particular viewer, an advertisement becomes an artwork definition of advertising. Although, the participants of the and an artwork turns into an advertisement. Verses study did not reach a consensus, the authors derived the written by Mayakovsky were turned into advertising following definition, slogans, and Kurt Schwitters, a German Dada artist and Advertising is a paid, mediated form of communication poet, has used advertising slogans in his poems. Any text from an identifiable source, designed to persuade the is „unfinalizable‟ and „polyphonic‟ that is, it contains an receiver to take some action, now or in the future infinite number of voices. The unique position that an (Richards & Curran, 2002: 74). „observer‟ occupies in the time/space matrix enables one The authors add that, „mediated communication‟ is to identify different voices within the text. If an “communication which is conveyed to an audience advertisement for Nike is framed and displayed in a through print, electronics, or any method other than museum then it is no longer just the advertisement for person-to-person contact” (Richards & Curran, 2002: 74). Nike. In such case, the voice of art prevails over other Nevertheless, the proposed definition of advertising voices in a particular time and space. Such examples can raises a few problems. First, any form of communication be seen in works of Andy Warhol. The definition offered is mediated. Secondly, if the notion of „action‟ implies a by Karimova (2012) also brings forward the significant process of doing something then the process of viewing role of not only the „agency‟ and the „sponsor,‟ but also is an action itself. Thirdly, the problem in the definition is the „consumer‟ (the „viewer‟, „reader‟, etc.). related to the assumption that advertising message One can argue that the definition of advertising cannot be conveyed to an audience through person-to- advanced by Karimova (2012) may seem to be applicable person contact. This assumption is clearly conflicting with to any form of communication. However, what many recent examples of viral marketing, a “strategy that differentiates advertising from other forms of encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message communication is a meaning of promotion that the to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in „observer‟ ascribes to text at a particular time and space. the message‟s exposure” (Kirby, 2005: 88). From the However, the concept of carnival challenges this aforementioned definition of viral marketing, it becomes statement by revealing the paradoxical nature of obvious that advertising message can be conveyed carnivalesque advertising. It shows that carnivalesque through person-to-person contact. Fourthly, the problem advertising does not only promote but also demote emerges when defining advertising as a „paid form of products/services. communication‟. Maynard and Scala (2006) have questioned this definition in their article Unpaid THE CONCEPT OF CARNIVAL Advertising: A Case of Wilson the Volleyball in Cast Away. In the film Cast Away, the authors discuss the Many authors have devoted their work to interpreting example of an advertisement for the Wilson organization carnival and have constructed particular discourses of that was featured in the movie even though the actual carnival. Events that take place at different times (Castle, advertisement was not commissioned by the Wilson 1986; Kolyazin, 2002) and in different countries (Supek, organization. Another marketing orientation that 1988; Mitchell, 1995; Lewis & Pile, 1996; Lindahl, 1996; questions the definition of advertising proposed by Nurse, 1999; Tokofsky, 1999) are described by the same Richards and Curran is unpaid consumer brand word, „carnival‟. The matrix of ideas introduced by these advocacy. Brand advocates spend more than average different authors organizes the discourse of carnival. consumers on their favourite brands and influence others There are two ways of looking at carnival: “carnival is by recommending the product to their friends and family. both the name of a specific kind of historically instanced Fifthly, the definition considered only the voices of „well- thing – the popular social institution of early modern known agency executives, presidents of professional Mardi Gras, for example – and an immaterial force which organizations, government regulators, and respected such particular instances characteristically embody” academics‟ ignoring the voice of the „consumer‟. (Holquist, 1994: 89). In the following sections, the Karimova (2012: 5) suggests an alternative definition concept of carnival is analyzed from these two different of advertising; Advertising is text, a framing of text, and angles. Defining advertising: A carnivalesque