In class, we had a discussion about comercials on TV during certain sports events and other events where the media takes advantage of races and ethnicities to advertize to. One advertizement that really sticks out to me is the "Army of One" comercial trying to recruit people to the army. One thing I have always noticed is that the comercials are always of young people, and promnently young black and hispanic men. Rarely you will see a woman or a white person on the screen. This made me think about what is really being advertized on our army recruitment ads. For one thing, it is a well know judgement that most people who live in the ghetto are black. It is also a common judgement that most black families are from low incomes, and do not aim for college. This, I think, is a main reason that the army comercials on TV, target young African American boys who are in need of extra money to get to college and a career, for that matter. The comericals for An Army of One, are about a young black man who talks with his parents about joining the army. I think this is really wrong . One, I think the army should not target kids from low income families, just becasue they don't have a lot of money. Most kids don't have any idea what they are signing up for in the first place, because the comercials they see are about people running and looking very brave and heroic. They don't see the blood and death and pain that really happens inside the army. Secondly, I think that the army is trying to take advantage of a situation in their favor. They are targeting kids of a single ethnicity becasue of a jugement that African Americans are poor and have nowhere to go, but to the army. So how strong, is army strong?
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Who is the army really advertizing to?
In class, we had a discussion about comercials on TV during certain sports events and other events where the media takes advantage of races and ethnicities to advertize to. One advertizement that really sticks out to me is the "Army of One" comercial trying to recruit people to the army. One thing I have always noticed is that the comercials are always of young people, and promnently young black and hispanic men. Rarely you will see a woman or a white person on the screen. This made me think about what is really being advertized on our army recruitment ads. For one thing, it is a well know judgement that most people who live in the ghetto are black. It is also a common judgement that most black families are from low incomes, and do not aim for college. This, I think, is a main reason that the army comercials on TV, target young African American boys who are in need of extra money to get to college and a career, for that matter. The comericals for An Army of One, are about a young black man who talks with his parents about joining the army. I think this is really wrong . One, I think the army should not target kids from low income families, just becasue they don't have a lot of money. Most kids don't have any idea what they are signing up for in the first place, because the comercials they see are about people running and looking very brave and heroic. They don't see the blood and death and pain that really happens inside the army. Secondly, I think that the army is trying to take advantage of a situation in their favor. They are targeting kids of a single ethnicity becasue of a jugement that African Americans are poor and have nowhere to go, but to the army. So how strong, is army strong?
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4 comments:
i understand where steph is coming from. i have seen many commercials that try and target urban cultures and different ethinicites besides whites. yet i have also seen amry commercials with people of all sorts of race. I belive that the Us i jsut trying to target everyone so that it seems to be all sorts of people representing our nation.
This is a really interesting argument. Although the commercials only show Hispanic or African American men,when we see pictures of people who have died from war, we see people of all races. It is really interesting to me that you are connoting that since they are only showing Hispanic and African Americans, they are not as well off in a sort of way and cant afford to go to college so they are planning to make money by joining the army. Also,it is true that in the commercials no one is seeing the painful side to war, just the brave and powerful side. In a way, that kind of scares me because if someone I know and love is going to to war, I want them to be brave, but they need to understand that there is a painful effect on war.
I think Stephanie brings up a really interesting argument. I had not thought about that point before. I do think the assumption that they target lower income families, which are stereotypically black or hispanic is correct, but I think that there is still more too it. I think that the army realizes that they cannot only advertise to white men but they need everyone they can get. Especially since the war is going on this long they have to advertise to many diverse peoples
Stephanie,
This is a great post. I like your ideas and how fully you develop them.
A couple of years ago my classes did a project with Kenwood, a south side school. One of the biggest things students from both schools noticed was what was hanging in hallways. At NT we have clubs, college posters and fine art works everywhere. At Kenwood, the only poster allowed to hang were recruitment posters. Says it all, doesn't it?
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