Russia is evil. That is at least what they say. But who says it? The media, the “ruling class”, and even the government. When you search Google for Russia you are immediately inundated with headlines such as: “FBI’s Comey: Republicans also hacked by Russia” and “Trump Received Unsubstantiated Report That Russia Had Damaging Information About Him”. Those headlines are the very first thing to show up on the page, no not a wikipedia article or a informational website. The internet is the main location where Americans get their news and their beliefs from. Displaying highly political articles as the first thing that shows up leaves a significant presence on how people think of Russia. Every word is carefully chosen to display Russia in a specific light, formulating the ruling ideas. Even Popular Mechanics wrote an article claiming that Russia has a “submarine nuke” with the subtitle “This is very bad news” (Popular Mechanics). The very fact that the ruling ideas of Russia being evil and that Russia is interfering with our democracy all has even permeated the most unpoliticized magazines and journals just goes to show how powerful of a ruling idea it is.

If it even is true that Russia did hack the election the United States, the U.S. has influenced many elections worldwide themselves. The Huffington post claims that “For more than 100 years, without any significant break, the U.S. has been doing whatever it can to influence the outcome of elections ― up to and including assassinating politicians it has found unfriendly” (Huffington Post). Most people do not know that America influences foreign elections on the scale that it does. There is very little news coverage on all of the elections that the United States has messed with, while the so called Russian hacking has been completely overblown.

These beliefs contribute to the sense of American Exceptionalism. In our society an extreme sense of Nationalism and a hatred for the “other”, in this case Russia, is omnipresently promoted. Nationalism was used during the early 20th century to create a unity between the state and the people (59). The same principles have been applied to modern day, ignoring our own issues and wrong doings against other nations while portraying the state as the great protector of freedom. Through the creation of American identity, the eliminations of our wrongdoings, and the emphasizing of threats the United States has created a sense of nationalism that rules and placates the people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

This Old Spice commercial directly plays on the insecurities of the consumer. Depicting an attractive man talking to the “ladies” and comparing himself to their men who “sadly [aren’t him]”. Now that the viewers are self conscious that they are not this attractive man standing in front of them half naked claiming that their women wish that they were him Old Spice offers their product as a solution. That you could smell like the attractive man if you use Old Spice body wash instead of lady scented body wash. This parallels advertisements of the 1920’s that made women feel anxious about their physical appearance in order to sell them products (36). This marketing strategy has been used for almost 100 years and has been extended across the entire advertising industry. Companies sell products by creating an identity that people strive to become.

The commercial presents the ideal man as being strong, attractive, well dressed, and as someone who is good with women. This presentation affects all of us, how we view and feel about ourselves and what we think about one another. We may feel that someone is inadequate or not manly enough based on ideas planted in our minds by people trying to sell us things. We are convinced that we need these products in order to be manly. Whether we know it or not companies like old spice influence the way we act, talk, and view others in an extremely profound way.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/the-4-best-lego-ad-campaigns-ever?utm_term=.qbL4eJe64#.sx2vm7mBv

Legos advertising Imagination. A company must create the desire to consume their product (36). And for a toy company that is quite difficult the consumer of the product will not be the one paying for it. Lego must not only convince children that they want to play with the legos, but they also have to convince the parents to buy them. And why would I buy little pieces of plastic for hundreds of dollars for my children to play with? Because if my (imaginary) children play with legos then they are creative. As shown in the advertisement above lego is advertising creativity. If you can see the dinosaur from the yellow bricks bricks then your are an imaginative person. Once the desire for creativity is established then you will purchase the legos because Lego has convinced you that playing with legos inherently makes you a creative person.  

First hand I know that this strategy works from the numerous boxes of legos my parents have bought me. Since I was very little I have always played with legos. Until now I have not reflected on how influential those little, colourful, and yet painful to step on bricks have been on who I am. As a child I remember the joy of ripping off the wrapping paper to find a brand new lego set inside, which would of course be be finished within a couple days. Then it would be taken apart and rebuilt it different shapes and forms. Since I was very little legos have meant a lot to me. Through their products and advertising Lego has affected who I am. But in the end have they really sold me and my parents imagination?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuqM9Mwc-ak

There is a new iPhone every year, and every year Apple convinces us all to go and buy a new one. In the 1920s advertising developed from the need of a corporation to “sell itself to industry” (33). Today apple does not just need to get you to buy their product, but also keep you buying their products. Apple must “keep them consuming” (37). Sure the new iPhone may be brighter, faster, and smarter, but why do I need that? Shown in the iPhone 4 advertisement linked above apple makes us believe that our iPhone from last year is inadequate to support our ever changing lives, fueling our urge to buy and consume (35). In the ad Apple convinces us that we need the new retina display because without it “movies aren’t this dramatic” and that our “memories aren’t this memorable”. Well if my memories are not going to be memorable without it of course I am going buy it! Apple is playing with our sense of inadequateness convincing us that we will not remember important without the new iPhone while showing a picture of little girl.

Apple has replaced the philosophy of using something until it breaks with using until it is outdated the following year. Growing up with Apple products and advertising everywhere has certainly affected the way that I think about when I “need” to buy something new. When learn a new Apple product just came out, or I see a new Apple advertisement I personally feel the urge to buy a new iPhone before I can stop and think whether or not I actually need it. While there most likely is not an actual need to buy a new phone every year Apple has created the ruling idea for the “fancied need” of their products in order to keep all of us buying their products every year.