‘Manufacturing Consent’ is a 1988 book by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky. ‘Manufacturing Consent’ is the practice of making it appear that the public “agrees” with the actions of certain governments or large organizations, when in fact their views are influenced by public relations firms, which essentially hand over the “facts” to news and media organizations. ‘to news and media organizations. The categorisation of the book’s theories as Chomsky’s is not intended to devalue Herman’s contribution. (Luke Dunne, 2023)
Understanding manufactured consent is important because, in today’s society, we easily expose ourselves to a wide range of viewpoints. However, the principle behind manufactured consent reminds us that more information does not necessarily mean more truth, especially when large amounts of information are filtered through ownership, advertising, sources and bias.
In terms of advertising, this manifests itself in how companies and brands create recognition for their products, services and values without consumers being fully aware of the impact. Creating consent in advertising is not just about convincing consumers to buy a product. It is about creating an atmosphere in which the brand’s point of view feels ‘natural’ or ‘right’. For example, when a brand associates itself with positive qualities such as happiness, health or success, it subtly links these values to its products, often leading to attitudes and behaviours that benefit the brand’s bottom line.
Nike is good at using scarcity and urgency in their adverts to create recognition and get consumers to buy. Nike will force consumers to take action through the release of a limited edition trainer, which is usually not questioned by consumers about their product. Because the trainers are limited and only a few people can own them, this scarcity brings heat to the product and makes consumers feel that owning it will set them apart.
In addition, Nike schedules the release of the limited edition to create a sense of anticipation by counting down the days. Having a limited release time will give consumers a sense of urgency and put them in the mindset of buying immediately or missing out if they don’t buy right away.
Through scarcity and urgency, Nike creates identity by creating a demand for the product that may not even be related to the product itself, but rather to the emotional and social status associated with owning it.
Advertisers create uninformed consumers who make irrational decisions, that economic decisions are driven by informed consumers acting rationally. Instead, Matthew McConaughey says sexy things in a sexy way and people are tempted to buy. (Marcus kahn, 2020)
Bibliography
- Dunne, L. (2023, August 24). Manufacturing consent: Noam Chomsky on Politics & Media. TheCollector. https://www.thecollector.com/manufacturing-consent-noam-chomsky/
- Kahn, M. (2020, January 16). The attention industry: From marketing and advertising to mass media — Hampton Institute. Hampton Institute. https://www.hamptonthink.org/read/the-attention-industry-from-marketing-and-advertising-to-mass-media
Hi, Yutong!
You have effectively analyzed the concept of ‘Manufacturing consent’ in advertising, highlighting how PR strategies can subtly shape consumer behavior by associating a product with desirable values such as happiness or success and emphasizing tactics such as scarcity and urgency, such as Nike’s limited edition launches, whose use of scarcity and urgency is a masterpiece. Nike’s use of scarcity and urgency is a masterstroke that creates consumer demand and brand awareness. By releasing limited edition trainers, Nike creates a sense of exclusivity, prompting consumers to act quickly without having to scrutinize the product. The countdown strategy creates a sense of anticipation, enhancing emotional attachment and the desire to buy immediately. This approach skillfully shifts the focus from the product itself to the social and emotional status associated with owning the product, illustrating how effective brand marketing can utilize psychological triggers to drive sales and reinforce identity. This insightful discussion emphasizes the manipulative power of modern advertising in influencing the decisions of uninformed consumers.