Raymond Williams Advertising, The Magic System

In Advertising, The Magic System which is the title of one of the articles of Raymond Williams, he explains that advertising is a magic system which has two subtitles, one of them is cultural form and the other one is economic form.

As he starts with the cultural form he says that it can be seen as a system of fantasy. The thing which is trying to be sold is not only the product. It also sells the idea of what that person will be when he or she buys that product. The product gets beyond its materialistic value, the make believe image when it is owned also becomes a part of its value. For example Sarah Jessica Parker sells her perfume. People assume that when they buy that perfume they will smell like her and even look like her, be like her. Or for example in Coca-Cola advertisements everyone is happy and energetic. It gives the idea If I buy it and drink it I will be happy and energetic too. That is the reason why exchange value has been more important than the use value. But all of this fantasy world is caused by the peoples desire of belonging to a group. The idea of being unaccepted by the others is one of the biggest fear of people. So they buy the products even in the times when they do not like it. That is the reason why we see similar things all around us. Ipods, Converses, jeans, UGGs etc.

The economic form is advertising becoming a necessity. For example according to the big companies, advertising was needed to be in a large scale as a proof of their existence. Advertisements were created in order to reach people which will make them earn money and that way they can keep going in the business. That is also the reason why advertising became this big. As the companies got bigger, bigger advertisements were needed in order to grow more or be a part of the business world.

As we look at what magic is which Raymond Williams is talking about we can say these: Advertising and consumers come together and form magic. Advertising gives a hidden message and makes the consumers believe that they will not be good enough without it. The message which we believe in pushes us to that product and makes us believe we will be better even though it really will not make that difference.

Asli Zeren 12/15/2009

Bibliography Raymond Williams, Advertising, the Magic System in Problems in Materialism and Culture (London: Verso, 1980), pp. 170-195.