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Thursday, October 9, 2008

It's what's Up Front that counts


In the 50's Ernst Dichter described as appearing like, "the archetypical European shrink" founded the Institute of Motivational Research. Dichter called himself a doctor. But from what I've read, the truth to those credentials are more than quite uncertain. Drawing from the Freudian playbook, he did questionable research and concluded that humans are, "immature, with irrational insecurities and insatiable erotic desires."
According to Dichter you could get rid of all your bad feelings, immorality and even sins just by buying a bar of Ivory soap. Yes a lot of things were all about sex from his point of view.
This possibly brings us to the Winston ad "It's what's up front that counts." I showed this to a class of my Psychology of Consumer Behaviour students today. We had quite a laugh. I told them that ads were pretty much 2 things: What they say and What they mean.

It occurred to me that a lot of life is not unlike that simple two sided concept. Thus I begin my blog of the same name -maybe to investigate the difference or maybe not. I'm not entirely certain that I want to be "upfront" and I must admit to having always considered myself to be an "ivory girl." Though I question Dichter's methods and thesis, can I honestly say that I am not immature? Damn I put a wind up girl robot with an apron on my blog- and egads insecurities- I have known a few- Oh dear and insatiable erotic desires- we shall not speak! And now if size matters, methinks I should follow the KISS rule. But before I go. if you have ever wondered why Barbie has such big boobs or why Betty Crocker put an egg in "her" pancake mix, you can thank the good Doctor for that!

Check out that certain look of excitement on the woman's face at the end of the video!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Ivory Girl? Ivory Snow? :)