The knowledge of influencing others using tiny space in the mass media, to certain extent, contradicts the Bachelor of Social Science or Sarjana Sosial title I was given, and I'm still in a process of understanding how both could function in tandem.
I always think that It's not going to be easy to play both roles at the same time. The former usually normalize the manipulating nature of persuasive communication to intentionally change the minds of the society, or at least certain people, while the later, usually pursue the betterment of social life based on the reality of the society. Somewhat the inner spirits of both are different. Not sure how to explain them. But, if we have classified rigid associations of good and bad, we'll eventually be able to measure both and each will have a tendency to be higly associated with one. However, Advertising is a grey matter, that is usually also gray in colour, and to determine whether an ad is of a good intention or not is not easy, the objectives may not resemble the true subject's intention of an object. If you know what i mean.
Moreover, what is culturally accepted on both worlds may not necessarily projects the true nature of advertising and society. Indonesia might be the land where creativity scarcely gained from within, as many ads depicts worldwide trend which come from what revolves around the social life of the advertising agencies, and do not necessarily reflect on the society it is produced in. I could not endeavour deeper on the execution, as things are usually depicted straight forwardly. The industry has somewhat turned into becoming budget conscious and invest less on image quality, and good direction, and good script.
Advertising could work as the mover and shaker of the society to walk through towards its betterment. but how much trust do we have on the parties involve in the making of an ad? dont we still count expose on even a PSA ads?. how many ads are there that're actually produced to support the society's improvement per se?
The big questions also come from the product that is advertised. are they as good as it is portrayed or as misleading as the packages do? Should I support a mass consumption of a certain manufactured product, or should I enhance the livelihood of people by consuming more of a product? Some ads are meant to create associative effect towards certain things, usually the brand, thus the repetitive nature of it. Will I then supporting the removal of human natural instinct to know and to think before consuming something, or such event could occur naturally on any type of communication? Or should I work in support of the people to re-ignite their instinct to get to know about everything they consume? should I remove the mindset of branding and reinstate the instinct?
I'm in the brink to find the best job to do without having to be consciously guilty of the later effect, Which I think both will have implications on the people eventually. If I could lay down a bit about the choices now, I'm almost certain that producing my own goods and selling them should be the ideal perfect job for me. I consider F&B. For that, I have endeavoured online to find any food that is easy to make but profit the most, that suits the tastebuds of the locales, and would sustain to more than 5 years. But then, just by the time the decision is made regarding what food to sell, I started reconsidering of what the society have accepted as food, and some counter arguments about what should be eaten, and what not. and it is not easy. should I incorporate processed product? or should i also administer the production the ingredients as well? or should i just follow what the government have allowed to be produced & consumed. Should I just do what's right, trust my guts, and see how it goes?
I know this type of self-discussion would not help me in any point in the industry, but somewhat the power of it is too big to be used for only commercial purposes. and somewhat there is something called as good propaganda, despite the negative association of the word. but then, that's how advertising works. it creates associations. couldn't we then change the scenes and let advertising be culture-laden, and associate it more as a complementary of the society than its enemy? I guess we should.
All in all, getting to this point has not been easy. There were tonnes of stories within and prior to getting in that were all part of the lessons in life. and who else would cherish it if not me. and therefore, First, I have to congratulate myself. Alhamdulillah. I'm now officially holding Sarjana Sosial title.
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