You are what you buy, that is how you simply define consumerism. You become one with the product you are buying. Thus, consumption of goods becomes part of our lives (Brusseau, n.d). There are thousands of products that promote consumerism. Some of them are McDonald’s, Burger King, Facebook, Apple, Levi’s, Coca Cola, Nike and etc. Through advertising, consumers are persuaded to buy and use certain products, although not necessities, that will satisfy them. Ever since, consumerism has been an alarming issue and up until now people are still facing the trouble of over shopping. As I have mentioned a while ago, Apple is one of the many products that promotes consumerism. Some of the Apple products are MacBook Pro, MacBook Air iMac, iPad, iPod touch, and the iPhone series. Apple sells more because of their ‘brand’ since they are dominating the technology world. Apple wants their products to be one of ‘us’, which is why they offer several customizations and customized products such as the iPhone 5c.
[1] This commercial advertisement for iPhone 5c is presented and paid by Apple. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne developed Apple Incorporation. Thirty years ago, its aim was to sell personal computers. Eventually, it did not only sell personal computers but consumer electronics, such as mobile phones, iPod, and etc. (“Apple”, n.d).
[2] As seen in the advertisement, its target consumers are in no particular age, race, and gender. Everyone can buy the iPhone 5c as long as they like being colorful. The iPhone 5c has various colors such as yellow, green, blue, white, and pink. Those who like having colorful stuff or having a particular color would certainly love this product.
[3] All throughout the advertisement, people of different race, age, and sex were seen using the product while talking in different languages. The assorted color versions of the iPhone 5c were seen in the commercial and also how these people love the product and being colorful. In the latter part of the commercial, the brand ‘Apple’ was shown as well as the statement, “For the colorful”.
[4] The commercial suggests that anyone who prefers a specific color would like the idea of having a phone, especially an iPhone, in different colors. It also suggests that having a specific colored iPhone would make it more personal and true to your personality. However, this advertisement fails to promote the product itself since it focuses on selling the product by featuring their various colors.
[5] It promotes how being colorful is fun. In addition, it helps you become one with the product by choosing and buying a particular color you like. Thus, your product becomes you.
[6] Although the commercial advertisement encourages consumers to become stylish, it committed the fallacy of incomplete facts, as it did not present any information and features of the product. It also committed the fallacy of Bandwagon, since the advertisement itself showed how different people from different places use the same product because they love being colorful and since you also love being colorful, you should buy this product. Finally, the advertisement committed the fallacy of logos, since the advertisement reasons out that everyone who likes being colorful has an iPhone 5c, so you should too.
[7] The iPhone 5c is true to its text, “For the colorful”. It encourages people to be satisfied in even simple things like choosing a particular color for your mobile phone. It also promotes how one can present his self through having simple things. This is also the downside of the advertisement or the product itself, it tells you to buy a mobile phone just because you like a certain color from their collection. It encourages everyone that they should buy this product in order to show their ‘fun’ and ‘colorful’ personality.
[8] This particular advertisement empowers everyone who loves being stylish and colorful. Although everyone can enjoy the iPhone 5c it did not show how the colors of the mobile phone is equivalent to the price of the product, thus it can disempower those who like being colorful but are financially challenged. Since this product is merely advertised as a want instead of a need, since it lacked in showing the product’s information, it empowers those who loves to over shop and those who enjoy collecting gadgets.
[9] The advertisement was successful in presenting one aspect of the product in an excellent way, which is to promote the varying colors of the iPhone 5c. However, it failed in presenting its features, built-in applications, technical specs, and etc. In order to know more about the product itself, anyone can access their official website, http://www.apple.com
[10] On my first watch of the advertisement, I had an initial response of wanting to buy the product since it was materially beautiful. Besides, who does not like having a mobile phone of their favorite color? The commercial advertisement was really appealing, from the setting to the product. Despite of those factors, if you think about it the advertisement failed to inform the consumers, it only makes you want to buy it. Through this advertisement, consumerism was clearly illustrated.
written by: Austin Javier
[1] This commercial advertisement for iPhone 5c is presented and paid by Apple. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne developed Apple Incorporation. Thirty years ago, its aim was to sell personal computers. Eventually, it did not only sell personal computers but consumer electronics, such as mobile phones, iPod, and etc. (“Apple”, n.d).
[2] As seen in the advertisement, its target consumers are in no particular age, race, and gender. Everyone can buy the iPhone 5c as long as they like being colorful. The iPhone 5c has various colors such as yellow, green, blue, white, and pink. Those who like having colorful stuff or having a particular color would certainly love this product.
[3] All throughout the advertisement, people of different race, age, and sex were seen using the product while talking in different languages. The assorted color versions of the iPhone 5c were seen in the commercial and also how these people love the product and being colorful. In the latter part of the commercial, the brand ‘Apple’ was shown as well as the statement, “For the colorful”.
[4] The commercial suggests that anyone who prefers a specific color would like the idea of having a phone, especially an iPhone, in different colors. It also suggests that having a specific colored iPhone would make it more personal and true to your personality. However, this advertisement fails to promote the product itself since it focuses on selling the product by featuring their various colors.
[5] It promotes how being colorful is fun. In addition, it helps you become one with the product by choosing and buying a particular color you like. Thus, your product becomes you.
[6] Although the commercial advertisement encourages consumers to become stylish, it committed the fallacy of incomplete facts, as it did not present any information and features of the product. It also committed the fallacy of Bandwagon, since the advertisement itself showed how different people from different places use the same product because they love being colorful and since you also love being colorful, you should buy this product. Finally, the advertisement committed the fallacy of logos, since the advertisement reasons out that everyone who likes being colorful has an iPhone 5c, so you should too.
[7] The iPhone 5c is true to its text, “For the colorful”. It encourages people to be satisfied in even simple things like choosing a particular color for your mobile phone. It also promotes how one can present his self through having simple things. This is also the downside of the advertisement or the product itself, it tells you to buy a mobile phone just because you like a certain color from their collection. It encourages everyone that they should buy this product in order to show their ‘fun’ and ‘colorful’ personality.
[8] This particular advertisement empowers everyone who loves being stylish and colorful. Although everyone can enjoy the iPhone 5c it did not show how the colors of the mobile phone is equivalent to the price of the product, thus it can disempower those who like being colorful but are financially challenged. Since this product is merely advertised as a want instead of a need, since it lacked in showing the product’s information, it empowers those who loves to over shop and those who enjoy collecting gadgets.
[9] The advertisement was successful in presenting one aspect of the product in an excellent way, which is to promote the varying colors of the iPhone 5c. However, it failed in presenting its features, built-in applications, technical specs, and etc. In order to know more about the product itself, anyone can access their official website, http://www.apple.com
[10] On my first watch of the advertisement, I had an initial response of wanting to buy the product since it was materially beautiful. Besides, who does not like having a mobile phone of their favorite color? The commercial advertisement was really appealing, from the setting to the product. Despite of those factors, if you think about it the advertisement failed to inform the consumers, it only makes you want to buy it. Through this advertisement, consumerism was clearly illustrated.
written by: Austin Javier
Sources:
Apple. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://www.about-apple.com
Apple (2013, September 22). Apple - iPhone 5c - TV Ad - Greetings [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7KuXMHN_X4
Brusseau, J. (n.d.). We Buy, Therefore We Are: Consumerism and Advertising. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/business-ethics/s16-03-we-buy-therefore-we-are-consum.html
Apple (2013, September 22). Apple - iPhone 5c - TV Ad - Greetings [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7KuXMHN_X4
Brusseau, J. (n.d.). We Buy, Therefore We Are: Consumerism and Advertising. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/business-ethics/s16-03-we-buy-therefore-we-are-consum.html