What is it about the marketing mind that believes false or forced perspective, the erasing or addition of body parts is so important in advertising that it is such a common practice? I wonder, is it contempt for the average consumer that leads to such errors a child with a PC would not make. Or is it that ads with such "errors" are considered a stylized form of art and are legitimate as they are?
Don't know if this qualifies as a Photoshop Disaster but the erasing of an apparently aesthetically displeasing elbow seems a bit of a hasty decision. I, for one, think Ashley Judd's elbows are cute and they should have been left in the photo, if in fact the lower half of that body is actually hers.
Related: Join the Mutant Navy.
Spotted in a San Diego grocery store, April 2010.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Missing elbow
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Also, her Triscuits have gone over all moldy.
ReplyDeleteEating those will start a "movement" of another kind!
ReplyDeleteVance Packard speculated that the addition or subtraction of a body part subliminally suggested that you should purchase, because with a quick glance you would notice that something was different but would be unable to recognize what and would be more likely to remember the product. I think it's a bunch of woowoo, but maybe some advertising exec believes in the hidden persuaders.
ReplyDeleteMight be something to it. A bunch of little things that ad up to a successful sell.
ReplyDeleteI think the picture angle hides the forearm/elbow behind the tray. Try it at home- and have a shorter person (or someone much lower) take a pictre. The mirror won't do as one's own eyes are too high. Still, your point stands- it is a ridiculous pic and should have been re-shot by any decent pro. Obviously AJ was unavailable for another shoot.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be an effective ad.
ReplyDeleteYou look at the missing elbow, wonder about it, then look not too far below and you're looking at the brand name.
All this time you're hooked.
Of course it might not mean anything to you and you walk away.
But the only function of a print ad is for you to look at it long enough to assimilate its content.