Comments on: United We Buy: Using Patriotism and War to Sell Products

By: The Benefits of Adding a Canadian Theme to Your Business | HTT Signs Ltd.

The Benefits of Adding a Canadian Theme to Your Business | HTT Signs Ltd. — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 04:52:43 +0000

[…] be over-the-top, garish, and disrespectful. For example, far too many companies have tried to take advantage of wars to sell products. However, if you show some restraint, you can both show genuine love and respect for your […]

By: The Benefits of Adding a Canadian Theme to Your Business | HTT Signs Ltd.

The Benefits of Adding a Canadian Theme to Your Business | HTT Signs Ltd. — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:45:23 +0000

By: Tajuana F

Tajuana F — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:04:00 +0000

Now you’re missing my point, being that the statement she made wasn’t outrageous within the content of her article. In fact, IT’S ONE OF THE BASIC POINTS OF HER ARTICLE. It’s not an outrageous statement on the way to another topic. And it’s hardly likely that an academic of her background would make any statement in a forum such as this without thinking about it. What is incredibly likely, though, is people seeing a statement which at first glance offends them, and then ignoring the context in which it was made. This argument has nothing to do with who was or was not affected by the so-called War on Terror. The argument is about advertising and propaganda being targeted towards specific purposes, and the differences between World War II and the present. She made the statement because, within the context of her argument, it made sense. She didn’t include all of the other people you’re speaking of (who, quite legitimately, would need to be mentioned in almost any other article about the War on Terror except this one) because there is absolutely no reason to mention them in this article–it is actually illogical to do so. If the point she is making is about how advertising today targets the idea of soldiers and their families and how they are being affected by the war and not making a connection of any kind to any other war effort/the actual fighting that’s happening, WHY would she mention any of the people whom you brought up? It would be counter-intuitive.

By: maruja de lujo

maruja de lujo — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:52:00 +0000

“I don’t think that’s the point of this article.”
Well, duh!
The author made that outrageous statement without really thinking about it, on her way to talking about something else, correctly assuming that it wouldn’t seem strange at all to other US Americans.

By: Tajuana F

Tajuana F — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:03:00 +0000

I don’t think that’s the point of this article. I think it is more about the targets of war-themed propaganda ads, rather than the larger population who are affected by the “War on Terror”. Yes, there are many other people who are affected by this “war,” but in terms of creating a large, concentrated war effort that propaganda and marketing strategies can hinge upon, the only people affected ARE the military families. Which explains the change in focus on the ads. It’s all spouting patriotism, but the WWII ads are more “you can do your part” whereas more modern ads are about appreciating the efforts of others. So she’s not wrong when she says it mostly only impacts those who who are directly connected to it. In terms of her argument, it is a legitimate claim to make.

By: Roundup – The Tiny Team « The Heat Death Hour

Roundup – The Tiny Team « The Heat Death Hour — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:14:06 +0000

[…] United We Buy: Using Patriotism and War to Sell Products [Sociological Images] […]

By: Iris Olson

Iris Olson — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:36:00 +0000

This year i saw an ad for insurance i believe, and it was, i kid you not, a bunch of adorable interracial children singing to the firefighters who worked in NYC on 9/11. It was so emotionally manipulative and exploitative. and then at the end the company logo flashed.

By: Capt. aMeriCa

Capt. aMeriCa — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:48:00 +0000

It is ironic that there is oil in the can, and we are fighting for oil.
Oh, I mean terrorisim…. sorry!

By: William Angel

William Angel — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:05:00 +0000

OK.. I went down to the local supermarket and confirmed that they only stock Kellogg’s “frosted mini wheats”. But you are correct. They DO stock shredded wheat from Post that does not have sugar or salt added, and is offered in the original “baled hay” form.

By: Using Patriotism and War to Sell Products – Sociological Images | Upstarta.biz

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:44:41 +0000

[…] http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/09/16/united-we-buy-using-patriotism-and-war-to-sell-produ… […]

By: Fah Fah Fah

Fah Fah Fah — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:09:00 +0000

Yes that does happen, check out the documentary The Way We Get By.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:49:00 +0000

“the current War on Terrorism mostly only impacts those connected directly to it—military families”

What about the US citizens and residents imprisoned without charge on suspicion of “being terrorists”, some of them subject to extraordinary rendition (aka kidnapping) and torture?
What about the US citizens prevented from flying for such offences as being members of the Green party?
What about the US citizens who get a visit from the FBI because someone overheard them criticize George Bush?
What about all the people outside the US maimed, killed, impoverished, and bereft of friends and family by the US “War on Terror”?

I know that the military is kind of like the matrix in the US, and even if you don’t approve of the endless war it wages, you’ll have been raised to accept it and to be sentimental about soldiers, but “mostly” doesn’t begin to cover all the victims of the so-called War on Terror who you’ve rather callously left out here.

By: Korshi Dosoo

Korshi Dosoo — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:27:00 +0000

Just a question to people from the US – do troops actually get applauded at airports, or is that poetic license for the ad?

By: Monte A

Monte A — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:28:00 +0000

It may be worth adding that many of our largest military contractors include companies like PepsiCo, thus creating yet another conflict of interest. The longer the USA remains in Afghanistan, for instance, the more money flows to their bottom lines. Adas, they’re not only “using the blood of your fallen brothers and sisters to turn a buck,” they’re vested in keeping the blood flowing.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:22:00 +0000

Only the bourgeois class need reminders. The working class are the war effort.