Advertising and Society. 2nd ed.

Daniel J. Robinson is a Ph.D. candidate in history at York University.

The pervasive and, to some, pernicious place of advertising in North
American society suggests the need for critical analysis. This book, an
updated version of the 1986 original, presents an overview of
advertising as both commercial institution and powerful socializing
agent in the consumer society. Part 1 examines the economic and social
structure of the Canadian advertising industry, the history of
advertising in the United states, and social scientific methods of
audience and market research. Part 2 probes advertising’s impact on
social groups—specifically children, women, the elderly, and visible
minorities. Part 3 examines the social context of attempts to regulate
advertising by governments and professional associations. Concluding
chapters focus on advocacy and subliminal advertising.

Advertising and Society touches on many pertinent issues involving
advertising, but unfortunately does little else. Topics are raised, some
of the secondary literature is recounted, and cursory discussion
follows, but detailed analysis is largely absent. Though the book bears
a 1994 publication date, the bulk of the references predate the
mid-1980s, suggesting the absence of significant additional research
since its first edition. In the area of advertising history, for
example, Singer fails to cite any of the seminal American works
appearing since 1985. Also troubling is Singer’s conflated use of
American and Canadian examples when examining themes. While it is true
that the countries share common ground with respect to consumer culture
and the advertising economy, notable social and state differences make
for dissimilar modes of advertising practice and public reaction.
Singer’s grouping of the Canadian advertising experience under the
American rubric is ironic, in that his assessment of future advertising
trends points to the demise of mass appeals and the growth of regional
and socio-demographic niche marketing. One hopes that future
sociological and historical analyses are as sensitive to the specificity
of place and culture.