Binary Analysis as a Tool of Advertising

Reading HW
Download and read Mark Crispin Miller, “Getting Dirty,” a chapter from his 1988 monograph Boxed In. Pay particular attention to his vivid account of the advertisement he discusses—a description that takes up the first few pages of his essay. (If you’re curious to see the ad he discusses in that essay, I’ve uploaded it to YouTube.)

For class, be prepared to discuss the following: What do you like about Miller’s account? What’s his strong suit as a writer? What are his weaknesses, if any?

Viewing HW
Watch all of the following ads, looking for patterns: nothing fancy here, just what do you see happen over and over in this four decade long sequence of soap ads. Make a list of patterns you find — push yourself to identify at least four. Come to class ready to discuss.

1957 Dove Soap — “Dove “creams” your skin while you wash”

1970s Camay Soap — “You’ll be clean and creamy with Camay”

1980s Caress Soap — “For the soft you can’t get with soap.”

2000s Pure & Natural Soap — “For a clean that’s purely natural, Pure and Natural”

2010 Dove Beauty Bar — “Take the Dove 7-Day Test and feel the difference for yourself”