EOC: Discussion Questions Chapter 2

1. How has fashion advertising changed since the mid-twentieth century? What are some of the differences between ads that appeared before the 1950's and those from the 1950's, 1960's and today?

As you can see the how ads have change from being conservative to more creative and open minded



2. What are some of the theories related to fashion branding? What do they say about fashion branding as a means of communicating with consumers? How do the contemporary ideas of Hamilton, DeBord, Agins, Gobe, and McCracken relate to those Barthes and Baurdrillard?

Roland Barthes, “ He believed that a garment is actually present in fashion system at three distinct levels: the real garment; the terminological garment; and the rhetorical written garment."
Jean Baudrillard theory was hyperreality: presents itself to consumer through media. He believed that brands are the principle concepts of advertising culture, and that they constitute a new discourse in the order of consumption.

3. What types of meanings does Grant McCraken associate with fashion products? Do you agree or disagree? If you disagree, what would you add to or delete from his list? Give an example of one of the meanings.

There are nine different types of meaning that are usually targeted by companies: gender, lifestyle, decade, age, class and status, occupation, time and place, value and fad, fashion and trend meanings. I completely agree.