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Ironman's Coming Of Age In Sports Advertising

Decent Essays

Modern consumerism coupled with creative marketing tactics have created a vast array of advertisements designed to convince the public’s subconscious to purchase a target product. In other words, companies are making people feel like they need whatever it is they are selling, but how often is this actually true? Do advertisements actually focus on the physical aspects and usefulness of their product? Sometimes these companies stay true to the right objective, but the more common route that companies take is trying to associate seemingly unrelated characteristics and mannerisms with their product. Details such as stylish background music is added, the attractive actor or sports star is hired, or the perfect environment is presented to consumers …show more content…

The concept of “the man” symbolizes a male with the most strength, rigor, grit, and girls he can muster up for the public to envy as well as praise. Sports advertisements in particular focus on using male-oriented symbols to persuade consumers, suggesting that a famous NBA star’s AdiZero shoes or Nike low top sneakers will help the customer achieve their dreams in their own coming of age story. Coming of age in the sense of maturity can be defined as becoming comfortable with yourself as well as knowing what you need based on your own core …show more content…

The man does not seek the approval of others, nor is he a follower. He is heading upstream, and most people desire to be “the man.” Ironman is the culmination of all these traits. He is a powerful superhero genius with unparalleled confidence, and just so happens to be billionaire on the side. Becoming “the man” is essentially a simplistic way to put one’s “coming of age”, and becoming an individual’s desired version of themselves. Ironman lives an exciting and limitless lifestyle, so Nike associates him with their product in order to induce the consumer with this connotation. In reality, however, a pair of shoes has absolutely nothing to do with a fictional superhero.
Perhaps I have just become extremely normalized to modern advertising, but writing about the effects of certain ads really helps one realize just how crazy marketing strategies have become. The irony in this advertisement lies in the fact that buying shoes because you they are currently trending or you believe they will somehow improve your life greatly is the polar opposite of being comfortable with your own

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