Book Review on Advertising as Communication By: Therese Byrne

Who is Gillian Dyer?

• Gillian Dyer is a communications consultant, who has taught in further and higher education and has worked for several government departments including the former Department of Education and Skills.

• She has written “Advertising as Communication”, “Ringing the Changes”, and “Mathematics Linear Higher”.

• In “Advertising as Communication,” Gillian Dyer explores various aspects of the advertising industry.

• Impacts us in the economy and society. • Not only does Dyer give you

information about how advertising started, but she also gives questions at the end of each chapter to gives you suggestions for your future work.

Advertising as Communication overview

What is advertising?

• Advertising is the action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcements.

• There are many different aspects when looking at advertisements such as effects research, market research, and sociological research.

• Dyer wants you to ask yourself questions when trying to decide how you will make someone interested in buying the product that is being sold.

Semiotics and Ideology

• In this chapter Dyer essentially establishes her thesis on the systematic function of advertisements.

• The ad will use images, notions, concepts, myths, already available in the culture.

• An ad does not simply reflect ideology; it reworks it, therefore produces new meninges.”

Rhetoric of Advertising

• Dyer provides a detailed compilation of key rhetorical terminology that has been established by ancestors.

• Using visual effects can help consumers become more interested in the advertisement.

• A great advertisement can cause a consumer to want to travel, buy a product, etc., because of the visual image the advertisement portrays.

Suggestions and recommendation

• At the end of each chapter Dyer gives suggestions on further work, when different questions should be asked, and when you should put an advertisement out in mass media.

• Most of the information in “Advertising as Communication” I agreed with what Dyer was saying. She discusses very important points when describing how advertisements have changed our world.

• Not only would I suggest this book to my fellow students but I would definitely go back and read this in the future in order to become successful when it comes to advertising.

Resources • Dyer, Gillian. Advertising as Communication. London:

Methuen, 1982. Print.• Slide Share link:

– http://www.slideshare.net/ThereseByrne/advertising-as-communication-book-review/ThereseByrne/advertising-as-communication-book-review