Language+and+Communication+Seminar

http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxygateway.sastudents.uwi.tt:2048/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=104&sid=2518c1bd-721a-44b1-99eb-3fd19970b540%40replicon103 - Article on Adverstising in Trinidad and Tobago. This article is disagreement with the notion that other cultures influence Trinidad and Tobago.

Janelle's Portion on Problems

The cell phone culture which exists among the giants target audience is an ever evolving phenomena. To some, cell phones are as essential to life as food or water. With the increasing bombardment of advertisements between the rivaling companies on a daily basis, consumer subscribe readily to persuasion. On the one hand, the transition from target audience to consumers could be solely the result of the consumers belief in the need to stay connected. On the other hand, it can be seen as members of the populas becoming almost slaves to strong capitalist ideals. According to Tellis 2003, "advertising greatly impinge on the consumers awareness and have the potential of affecting their thoughts, attitudes, feelings and decisions". What consumers see as the essential reason for purchasing this comodity may be exactly what advertisers want them to see. thus perpetuating culture. Therein lies the problem of the existing cell phone culture.

According to the Political economy theory, the media is seen as a manipulative model by those who own and control it since it represents the ideology of the dominant class. The audience is unable to discern influence because of its own influence by this dominant group. Advertisers, like these mobile giants, use the media to persuade their target audience. "With their adverising expenditures, advertisers buy consumers as commodities. Thus consumers may not be in fact making informed decisions but rather subscribing to the ideologies perpetuated which promote cell phones as an essential to life feature, sign of status and so on.

This research aims at discovering the reasons behind the advertisements being put forward and how they influence the choices of their target audience. It will also serve to make consumers aware of the hegemonic persuasion that may be in effect. Thus, consumers may be motivated to move away form passive consumerism and towards active consumerism.