The long-running Mastercard “Priceless” campaign follows the trope of putting prices on gifts, all of which are building up to an emotional state. The emotional state, which is assumed to be the culmination of one’s purchases, is labeled as “priceless,” but it’s pretty clear that the commercial equates the consumption of material goods with the emotional state. Therefore, the emotional state does indeed have a specific price tag.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sPVppC6jxY&feature=related[/youtube]
The latest iteration of the “Priceless” series makes explicit the equation of intangible emotional expressions [of happiness] and material goods by showing a woman purchasing smiles, laughter, hugs and other expressions of satisfaction. The intangibles are made material and even buyable! Hmmm…What did that Beatles tune say…”Can’t Buy Me Love”?
Comments 2
Muriel Minnie Mae — October 9, 2008
Reminded me of the shop Harry Potter bought his wand in.
Sociological Images » TEDDY BEARS SUBSTITUTE FOR EMOTIONAL WORK — December 18, 2008
[...] animal to do your emotional work for you is in the same category as ad campaigns for diamonds and credit cards that promise viewers intimacy through purchase of the products. However, Vermont Teddy Bear’s [...]