Advertising and Society: An Introduction, 2nd Edition Edited by Carol J. Pardun - Book review

Advertising and Society

An Introduction, 2nd Edition

Edited by: Carol J. Pardun, Ph.D.

Published: September 23, 2013
Format: Paperback, 312 pages
ISBN-10: 0470673095
ISBN-13: 978-0470673096
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell













"The pros and cons of advertising have been debated ever since advertising emerged as the means to support our growing mass media consumption habits", writes Director and Professor of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina, Carol J. Pardun, Ph.D., editor of the revised and updated edition of her idea filled and very balanced viewpoint based book Advertising and Society: An Introduction, 2nd Edition. The editor offers a series of essays, written by internationally recognized experts in the fields of advertising and marketing, communications, and media, that discuss the leading controversies about the role of advertising in society.

Carol Pardun recognizes that advertising has existed for centuries, and also paralleled the rise of business and industry in the United States. The editor points out that at its most basic level, advertising provides product information. The contributors ask the questions as to what takes place when the advertising moves past the information stage.

As Carol Pardun suggests, it is the advertiser's viewpoint being expressed, and that is where the controversy begins about the role and power of advertising. Advertising, writes the editor, is both a mirror of society and an agent of change, and all that implies for society as a whole. The editor challenges the student to take one of those sides.

Carol J. Pardun, Ph.D. (photo left) understands that students must examine the controversies surrounding the role of advertising, and then consider the consequences and impact of those perspectives. The editor invites students to take a stance on one side of the controversy or the other. The essays presented in the book provide the arguments for both sides of the discussion, and for getting fully acquainted with the complexities of the arguments.

Carol J. Pardun presents a group of essays that challenge the student to think critically about their own perspective about advertising in society. That critical thinking process is stimulated by the fascinating articles, regardless of the student's personal worldview regarding advertising. The book is divided into seventeen chapters that offer both an argument and a counterargument on the issue under debate. The essays are found under the two main groupings of enduring issues in advertising and emerging issues in advertising.

For me, the power of the book is how Carol J. Pardun presents the major issues surrounding the role of advertising in a clear and balanced format. The technique of matching a pro and con essay together, with each taking an opposite side of the question, is an excellent teaching tool. For students developing critical thinking about the role and power of advertising, regardless of their personal viewpoint, this format challenges those perspectives.

These provocative and well written essays, presented by recognized experts, offer the insights and concepts that demonstrate how complex the ideas and scope of advertising are in modern society. As expected, the contributions all contain extensive notes and references for students to further examine each of the issues, whether based on the argument or the counterargument on the topic. The paired pro and con essays can be read in any order depending on the emphasis of the class and the students.

I highly recommend the excellent and engaging book Advertising and Society: An Introduction, 2nd Edition edited by Carol J. Pardun, Ph.D., to any academics and undergraduate students in business, advertising, marketing, media, communications, journalism, the social sciences or any other related field where the impact of advertising is felt in society. This book is a challenging guide for reconsidering the student's own viewpoints about advertising, and enhancing their ability to think critically about the issues surrounding this controversial topic.