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Notes on Sport in Advertising by Abby Ansorge

Overview

  • Pervasiveness of Advertising: Advertising is ubiquitous in modern society, often referred to as the 'official art' of industrial nations in the West. It permeates everyday life through various media platforms.

  • Purpose of Sport Advertising: Explore the correlation between advertising and sport, emphasizing what sport advertisements try to sell.

  • Case studies: Real-world examples from Super Bowl XLII and the 2007 Rugby World Cup are discussed to illustrate concepts.

Key Concepts and Terms

  • Persuasiveness: The ability to influence someone’s beliefs or actions.

  • Consumer Capitalism: Theory suggesting consumers are encouraged to buy based on desires rather than needs.

  • Translation of Meaning: Connection between the product and its perceived image within advertisements.

  • Currency of Sport Goods: Advertising evokes emotions tied to sports, mainly success and status associated with athletes.

  • Distinction: Highlighting the unique, desirable features of a product that set it apart in the market.

  • Absence and Identity: How advertisements create a unified identity for consumers who engage with their displayed ideals.

  • Jokes: Usage of wordplay and imagery in creating memorable advertisements.

The Pervasiveness of Advertising

  • Advertising is integrated into all aspects of daily life: newspapers, magazines, TV, internet, etc.

  • Media performance relies on the advertisement of products; where, for instance, advertisements are part of television's flow.

Advertising and Consumer Capitalism

  • The goal of advertisements is to connect products with abstract concepts like happiness and success.

  • Consumers often equate personal happiness with owning advertised products.

How Does Sport Advertising Work?

  • Advertisements demonstrate how products meet consumer needs while selling more than just goods—they sell identities.

  • They encourage viewers to identify with what they consume, reflecting deeper connections rather than just product features.

Translating Meanings in Sport Advertising

  • Multiple layers of meaning exist in advertisements through color, imagery, and language.

  • Use of celebrities and athletes is common to enhance the message's meaning.

The Object and the Sport Sign

  • Colors associate sports products with lifestyles or identities.

  • Advertisements often utilize "sign systems" to illustrate connections between different industries, e.g., connecting technology to sports.

Currency of Sport Goods

  • Emotional transfer in advertisements leads consumers to believe that products can incite positive feelings.

  • The focus is on what the athlete or product signifies rather than solely the tangible goods.

Sport, Advertising, and Distinction

  • Advertisers emphasize unique and desirable features of products to differentiate in a competitive market.

  • Examples of brands: Nike's controversial endorsement tactics, Adidas's suburban approach vs. Reebok's celebrity focus.

Absence and Identity in Advertisements

  • Ads present idealized versions of consumers and can disconnect from social realities.

  • They are not mere reflections of reality but creative constructions influencing consumer identity.

Case Study: 2007 Rugby World Cup

  • Peugeot's Campaign: Sponsored the event with advertisements featuring actors in rugby jerseys while promoting their vehicle, emphasizing the emotional connection with rugby culture.

Case Study: Super Bowl XLII

  • Advertisements, like the Budweiser Rocky-themed commercial, highlighted the theme of 'pursuit of perfection' recognized through the New England Patriots' season.

  • The use of nostalgic music creates a sense of perseverance, resonating with Super Bowl themes.

Conclusion

  • The chapter emphasizes the relationship between sport and advertisement, encapsulating identity, emotion, and consumerism based on the portrayal of products in a sporting context.

References

  • Kennedy, E., Hills, L. (2009). Sport in Advertising. In Sport, Media and Society (pp. 117-133). Zed Books.

Advertising is ubiquitous in modern society, often referred to as the 'official art' of industrial nations in the West. It permeates everyday life through various media platforms. The purpose of sport advertising is to explore the correlation between advertising and sport, emphasizing what sport advertisements try to sell. Through real-world examples like Super Bowl XLII and the 2007 Rugby World Cup, key concepts and terms such as persuasiveness, consumer capitalism, and the translation of meaning can be illustrated effectively.

Pervasiveness of advertising is a significant aspect, as it is integrated into all aspects of daily life, including newspapers, magazines, TV, and the internet. Media performance is heavily reliant on product advertisement, wherein advertisements become part of television's flow. The goal of advertisements is to connect products with abstract concepts like happiness and success. Consumers often equate personal happiness with owning advertised products, demonstrating the link between advertising and consumer capitalism.

Sport advertising works by showcasing how products meet consumer needs while selling more than mere goods; they sell identities. Advertisements encourage viewers to identify with what they consume, reflecting deeper connections rather than just product features. Multiple layers of meaning exist in advertisements through color, imagery, and language, and the use of celebrities and athletes is common to enhance the messages conveyed. For instance, colors associate sports products with lifestyles or identities, and advertisements often utilize "sign systems" to illustrate connections between different industries, like connecting technology to sports.

The emotional transfer in advertisements leads consumers to believe that products can incite positive feelings, focusing on what the athlete or product signifies rather than solely the tangible goods. Advertisers emphasize unique and desirable features of products to differentiate them in a competitive market. For example, Nike employs controversial endorsement tactics, whereas Adidas contrasts with a suburban approach next to Reebok's celebrity focus.

Advertisements present idealized versions of consumers that can disconnect from social realities; they are not mere reflections of reality but creative constructions influencing consumer identity. A case study on the 2007 Rugby World Cup illustrates this concept well, where Peugeot's campaign sponsored the event with advertisements featuring actors in rugby jerseys, promoting their vehicle while emphasizing an emotional connection with rugby culture. Similarly, in the case study of Super Bowl XLII, advertisements such as the Budweiser Rocky-themed commercial highlighted the pursuit of perfection theme recognized through the New England Patriots' season, using nostalgic music to create a sense of perseverance.

In conclusion, the chapter emphasizes the intricate relationship between sport and advertisement, encapsulating identity, emotion, and consumerism, with a focus on how products are portrayed within a sporting context. The references for this discussion can be found in the work by Kennedy and Hills (2009), titled Sport in Advertising, published in Sport, Media and Society.