Viewing Advertising through the Lens of Faith: Finding God in Images of Mammon
Abstract
Various scholars have noted connections between traditional Protestantism and
advertising in the United States. Not only did the two institutions inform one
another as modern advertising emerged and matured, but, arguably, the two
systems also exhibit parallel rhetorical formats and functions today. In this
qualitative study, it is suggested that a shift in emphasis, from advertising’s
relationship to explicit religion to its interaction with implicit religiosity, could
provide fresh insights. This framework was explored through focus group
interviews, participant journal entries, and one-on-one, in-depth interviews
with Protestants from three mainline congregations. The findings show thatsome of the participants can, on occasion, touch the spiritual realm through
transactions with advertising. Indeed, it is contended that, although they belong
to formal religious organizations, these respondents can also engage in practices
associated with implicit religion. At the same time, the interviewees also indicated
they have little awareness of how advertising perpetuates the economic
status quo. Displaying hegemony at work, they are seemingly able to pursueboth explicit and implicit religious experiences and support their market-driven
culture without bearing significant cognitive dissonance. The paper makes thecase that advertising can sometimes function as a vehicle for helping to reconcile
this apparent conflict.
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