Offensive Advertising Phenomenon; Concepts and Causes

Faramawy, Marwa Ibrahim Said; Nada, Mai Ali; Abdo, Abeer Hassan

doi:10.21608/idj.2019.83884

Offensive Advertising Phenomenon; Concepts and Causes

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistance Lecturer, The Higher Institute of Applied Arts, 6th of October City.

² Assistance Professor, Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University

³ Professor of Design, Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University

10.21608/idj.2019.83884

Abstract

Background: Marketers and business practitioners are constantly confronted with intricate tasks of targeting and promoting products to consumers effectively. Consequently, advertising with novel, fresh and even out of the box ideas and themes is more than often needed, and hence used to generate awareness and interest in the marketplace. As a result, controversial images, slogans and subjects that may potentially be seen as offensive when advertised are frequently exploited. These have become more common over the last two decades with no sign of abatement. For marketers, the problem is that advertising campaigns that are controversial or offensive are either very successful or very harmful, depending on the reaction of the audience received and what happens in the market. Statement of Problem: In recent years, some advertisers and marketers have resorted to offensive advertising campaigns that are controversial because they contain offensive, religious, or racially offensive images, phrases and images that offend the target audience. Objectives: to Study (a) the phenomenon of offensive advertisements locally and internationally (b) the negative effects of abusive advertisements towards the message and the brand and to verify that the offensive visual processing of the advertisement is harmful to the advertising message, brand or institution even if the product or content is not controversial and to emphasize that the design of the ad based on the hint of fun and the use of intelligent visual elements affect emotionally and intellectually respects the mind and culture of the recipient increases the likelihood of acceptance of the advertising, although carrying a critical message. Methodology: The analytical descriptive method. Results: The offensive advertisement design for non-critical messages, causes negative effects towards the product and brand. It has been noted in that often people are more offended to offensive creative processing techniques, more than the advertising of certain controversial products. The advertisements of critical issues requires the designer to put up smart advertising ideas, and apply the psychological coping mechanisms in order to convey the meaning without prejudice to the dignity and dignity of the recipient. Where the probability of acceptance of the public receiving the critical message is increased if two conditions are achieved: "non-abusive visual treatment", and choose the means of advertising appropriate to the nature of the idea and the message. The likelihood of acceptance of the critical message by the receiving public becomes more likely - if two conditions are met: "non-abusive visual treatment" and choosing the appropriate means of advertising for the nature of the idea and the message. Collective / high-context cultures are more rejection to controversial advertisings than individual / low-context cultures.

Keywords

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