Shockvertising

=Shockvertising=

//Advertising's extreme sport...//


Lzar Dzamic from AIGA said it best: if advertising were a sport, its extreme version would be “shockvertising”. Shockvertising is an area of advertising that is not commonly seen or enjoyed by the common consumer. Such ads involve shocking and uncommon images or ideas that are meant to 'shock' the consumer into becoming intrigued and thus, purchasing the product or buying into the campaign's idea.

So where do these campaigns come from, and why are they accepted as ‘just’ by society? An enlightening article in the AIGA Journal of Design states that our over-exposure to media is one reason behind the prevalence of shockvertising in the world. Since we are exposed to SO much media and information on a daily basis, advertisers are finding that they have to push the limits even further in order to grab our attention. Another reason behind shockvertising is that our media environment in the last decade has become tolerant of much stronger and controversial content. Seeing a girl tied up and chained does not affect us nearly in the way it would have maybe 20 years ago.

Advertisers such as the United Colours of Bennetton are overjoyed with their clever shockvertising campaigns. Such campaigns invoke publicity ratings through the roof — regardless if the publicity is in their favour or not. Just the fact that these campaigns get consumers and the media //talking// about their company means good things for Bennetton.