BRANDALISM

BRANDALISM 6 EVOLUTION OF THE T-SHIRT 16 THROUGH THE EYES OF THE MISINTERPRETED 18 HOMAGE TO THE GREATS 40 HOMETOWN VANDALS 42 GEN Z x CHUTES AND LADDERS 50 18 MILLION CRACKS 52 BELONGING TO THE BIBLE BELT 60 EGO DEATH 62 THEY THINK I DID IT 76 SMILE, YOU'RE ON CAMERA 78 LETTER TO PLUS SIZE FASHION 86 BULLETS IN MY PRADA BAG 88 THE BLUEPRINT 96 PROPAGANDA ADS 98

Content Director: Sarah Kate Hatley Content Assistants: Kiana Shamsbafi, Trinity Gates, Jocelyn Peña, Blake Campbell Styling: Kayli McDaniel, Camille Campbell Beauty: Carly Judenberg, Natalie Bacome Photography: Tara Anastasoff, Natalie Gillis Videography: Isis Mayfield Writing: Gianna Rodriguez, Eloise McNair Layout: Sydney Burton, Nastasia Rozenberg

Our lives are consumed by advertising. The average American sees between 1,000 and 4,000 ads in one day alone. It is the largest form of communication with consumers that corporations, companies, and brands can utilize. Advertisements show people what they should buy and why they should buy it. It introduces consumers to new products, ones that they had never even thought of or could have imagined before. The mass consumption of advertisements has affected society since the beginning of advertising in print, back to the early 19th century, but today’s ads are seen throughout a multitude of different media platforms. In addition to that, companies can now reach a wider consumer base, and target key demographics thanks to ever-evolving ad technology. Commercialized consumption is widespread and so diverse in our society that it almost blurs the line between life and advertising. Advertising through social media allows ads to be more specific to an individual consumers interests, and the ease of social media advertising allows consumers to be more knowledgeable of products, but with such frequent display it can become harmful; hence the good, the bad, and the ugly:

There can be beauty in advertisements; the advertising industry can evoke the consumers’ emotions, inspire creativity, and tell stories. It’s a good feeling to have purchased something with value from a company that shares similar beliefs as you. Advertisements are a big reason why consumers get so attached. According to Yotpo, 84% of consumers stand by brands that align with their own values. People want to buy what speaks to them and their morals, and feeling sentimental toward an object is merely human nature. Advertisements that target human emotion well can be entertaining and even inspiring. It’s no surprise that so many Americans tune in to watch Super Bowl Sunday every year not only for the game, but also for the increasingly creative and funny advertisements used to garner consumer attention. According to Forbes, the average price for a thirty second ad in the Super Bowl in 2021 was worth $5.5 million. There is something about well-thought out advertisements that can really bring people together. In addition to being an effective way for companies to reach their audiences, advertisements have become more like an art form in doing so. Marketing comes in styles of animation and interactives. According to digital research site ComboApp, interactive ads increase awareness in the brand so the viewers can learn more about the product in a shorter amount of time. Advertising that is getting more creative, entertaining, and tailored to consumer interests can be a great thing, but it is not without its downsides.

Advertisements from companies can come in almost any form these days, including from people on social media. Due to the increasing popularity of social media, ordinary people can also become famous and influential. Celebrities are no longer actresses and singers, but they are vloggers and “content creators.” A lot of these new kinds of internet celebrities’ content revolves around their lifestyle, their clothes, and of course, their favorite brands. Consumers are surrounded by their favorite influencers who now act as walking advertisements. These social media stars are idolized by their followers, so when their fans see their Instagram feeds full of sponsors and discount links, they often feel like by purchasing those products, they can be more like their idols and favorite celebrities. Advertisements, especially using celebrities to advertise, makes people feel like buying the products will make their problems go away, or fix something that they don’t like about themself. Many people check their social media several times a day, which exposes them to even more advertisements than they already see in their everyday lives. Even tagging a brand in an instagram post can earn an influencer money. We see this sponsorship through some of the most famous influencers, such as Kim Kardashian West and the D’amelio family from TikTok. As Forbes puts it, “when influence is corrupt and based on lies, it does not work.” Unfortunately, marketing through influencers not only affects consumer behavior, but it also leads to overproduction.

When influencers, specifically youtubers, often post “unboxing” videos of complimentary PR packages that they receive. It is easy for viewers to wish they could get all that product for free, especially when these individuals are paid to gush over the products they receive, regardless of whether or not they actually like them. What viewers do not think about is the amount of excess product that is sent to the one individual, when it could instead be sent to those that can not afford even the most basic of necessities. The viewer should be questioning what their favorite youtuber will do with 12 shades of foundation that do not match their complexion. It makes sense that the company sends the influencers a range of their product to show their range of viewers, but companies should do better and consider a rightful home for the excess products.

Excessive advertising coming from some of the most influential people in the world also has a harmful effect on society. It promotes sameness and often leads to the over-purchasing of certain products and brands, because people always want what they see the rich and famous people have. In a way, it makes us feel like we need to buy these celebrity-promoted products if we want to fit in. Influencers should not be making their followers feel like they need to have specific (and usually expensive) products to be cool. The pressure of advertising has made the culture of consuming far more toxic.