LECTURE 12
What is cause branding? Relate to the concept commodity fetishism.
Cause branding is a specific type of branding that blends corporate and
individual identities through brand communication and audience participation. It
falls at the intersection of corporate strategy and citizenship and is one of the
must to practices for the 21st century, therefore positioning corporations to
implement their identities to attract and retain consumer through a depth of
involvement that draws on their emotions, actions and identities to drive brand
commitment.
Individuals become a self-branded commodity sign, using the narrative and
visual codes. Self-branding suggests that the audience as a sign is a cultural
product, shaped by postfeminist media culture.
The line between CSR and philanthropy is getting blurred: companies are acting
as citizens to contribute to the world but at the same time gaining profit.
Branding is the process by which a commodity in the marketplace is known for
the image the product has, rather than the actual quality. This can be linked to
commodity fetishism: when a commodity is fetishized, branding occurs:
meanings other than use value get attached to the commodity so it is known for
the image and not the use value.
Cause branding: mix of branding and philanthropy: blend corporate and
individual identities through brand communication and audience participation for
a cause. We think we’re doing good by buying products that donate money.
Make relationship between brand and cause to empower women = cause
related marketing. It mostly targets women: they are constructed as primary
consumers of household goods and services, because they are seen as nurturers:
buying to care for others.
Women that are Northern, white, middle-upper class: seen as ethical self-
reflexive.
Wider audiences must be targeted so: more affordable products, not elites:
national and international campaigns.
By referring to the Dove Real Beauty campaigns, explain how feminism
is commodified according to the Murray.
A strategy for accomplishing audience identification with texts is the co-option of
a discourse.
This tactic is called commodity feminism, where advertisers attempt to
reincorporate the cultural power of feminism, and in doing so, depoliticizing the
feminist message. Takes on a new meaning in a consumer culture characterized
by branding. Branding uses persuasion to make the brand become a seamless
part of consumer’s everyday lives. Thus, when people purchase a brand based
on the corporate identity that has been attached to it, socialization occurs
1
LECTURE 12
, through a common association with the brand. Branding enlists audiences to
support a corporate brand identity that is managed by the corporation to
produce its desired outcome. Audiences’ agency is limited by corporate desires
since brands are the new forms of surveillance.
Femvertising: ads that employ pro-female talents, messages and imagery to
empower women and girls #feminism: internet spreading messages is
commodified.
Who sets the rules? What are the rules? - think inclusion/exclusion -
power relations
Dove
Why is this commodification problematic according to Murray? Identify
at least three reasons why it is problematic. Take intersectionality into
account.
2
LECTURE 12
What is cause branding? Relate to the concept commodity fetishism.
Cause branding is a specific type of branding that blends corporate and
individual identities through brand communication and audience participation. It
falls at the intersection of corporate strategy and citizenship and is one of the
must to practices for the 21st century, therefore positioning corporations to
implement their identities to attract and retain consumer through a depth of
involvement that draws on their emotions, actions and identities to drive brand
commitment.
Individuals become a self-branded commodity sign, using the narrative and
visual codes. Self-branding suggests that the audience as a sign is a cultural
product, shaped by postfeminist media culture.
The line between CSR and philanthropy is getting blurred: companies are acting
as citizens to contribute to the world but at the same time gaining profit.
Branding is the process by which a commodity in the marketplace is known for
the image the product has, rather than the actual quality. This can be linked to
commodity fetishism: when a commodity is fetishized, branding occurs:
meanings other than use value get attached to the commodity so it is known for
the image and not the use value.
Cause branding: mix of branding and philanthropy: blend corporate and
individual identities through brand communication and audience participation for
a cause. We think we’re doing good by buying products that donate money.
Make relationship between brand and cause to empower women = cause
related marketing. It mostly targets women: they are constructed as primary
consumers of household goods and services, because they are seen as nurturers:
buying to care for others.
Women that are Northern, white, middle-upper class: seen as ethical self-
reflexive.
Wider audiences must be targeted so: more affordable products, not elites:
national and international campaigns.
By referring to the Dove Real Beauty campaigns, explain how feminism
is commodified according to the Murray.
A strategy for accomplishing audience identification with texts is the co-option of
a discourse.
This tactic is called commodity feminism, where advertisers attempt to
reincorporate the cultural power of feminism, and in doing so, depoliticizing the
feminist message. Takes on a new meaning in a consumer culture characterized
by branding. Branding uses persuasion to make the brand become a seamless
part of consumer’s everyday lives. Thus, when people purchase a brand based
on the corporate identity that has been attached to it, socialization occurs
1
LECTURE 12
, through a common association with the brand. Branding enlists audiences to
support a corporate brand identity that is managed by the corporation to
produce its desired outcome. Audiences’ agency is limited by corporate desires
since brands are the new forms of surveillance.
Femvertising: ads that employ pro-female talents, messages and imagery to
empower women and girls #feminism: internet spreading messages is
commodified.
Who sets the rules? What are the rules? - think inclusion/exclusion -
power relations
Dove
Why is this commodification problematic according to Murray? Identify
at least three reasons why it is problematic. Take intersectionality into
account.
2
LECTURE 12
