In recent years, climate change has transformed the world. As temperatures and water levels rise, so do the voices of concerned citizen-turned-activists, demanding cleaner, more sustainable products. Many companies, like H&M, are listening, implementing strategies to attract customers in the wake of this social revolution. Through their commercial “Bring it on,” H&M advertises to the concerned, saying that shoppers can recycle all of their old clothing in store to be repurposed. While “Bring it on” effectively uses kairos, pathos, and commonplace to urge their audience to shop in the store, it ultimately falls short in terms of ethos and logos due to the transparent lack of follow through with promised actions.
Category: civicartifact
Civic Artifact Speech Outline
Artifact(s): “Bring it on” by H&M, ?
- intro: raise your hand if you have ever been to a march/protested/etc.
- we are living in an age of social activism — list examples
- climate activism –> companies are listening
- introduce topic: through their advertisement “Bring it on,” H&M effectively uses kairos, pathos, and commonplace to connect emotionally with viewers, but falls short in logos and ethos.
- effective use of:
- the kairos of the climate change movement as well social activism
- the pathos of the climate change movement
- commonplaces of youth and how it connects to the movement itself
- messages of belonging in the ad
- ineffective use of
- ethos: a fast fashion brand that only wants you to shop at their store
- logos: lack of data and follow through
- Comparison: Pepsi, or some brand that has used social movements for profit
- Conclusion: connection of ad to civic-life and how brands use social movements for profit
Kairos in Advertising: A Flashback to World War II
The word kairos — or opportune timing — may have first been introduced Ancient Greece, but it continues to remain relevant to this day. Whether it be an op-ed in a local newspaper or Budweiser horses honoring the fallen of 9/11, kairos can be found everywhere in our daily lives. One of the most prominent uses of kairos is that of companies to increase profit.
In the early 1940s, as World War II tore through the fabric of families and home-life, companies sold what National Geographic called “a post war dream.” At the time, many Americans had lost hope: goods were rationed, loved-ones were killed, and the nation was stuck in a tunnel with no ending light — but companies kept advertising. These companies looked at the intensely emotional experience of many Americans and saw an opportunity, or kairos, to advertise hope: families reunited, patriotism, and an idyllic post-war life.
In the above ads, The General Tire uses the (1940s) commonplace of American life – white-picket fences, housewives, and working husbands – to connect with a lost population, arguing subliminally that an inherent connection between tires and post-war happiness exists. They tell the audience that they were there for 30 years before the war, and will still be after; that they as a company are dependable, trustworthy — everything a war is not. Furthermore, they use bright colors and words like VICTORY as a reminder to look towards a future where one can live simply, and buy tires, once again.
The use of kairos in advertising will forever be important: it is why we are bombarded with fitness ads at New Years, and American flags on the fourth of July. It’s why certain commercials appear at certain hours of the day and during certain television shows, and why certain companies survived wartime rations. Corporations use kairos so frequently because it profits. For this reason, we must be able to discern between emotional advertising and actual want or need, so that we as consumers can continue living happy, healthy, and economically-savvy lives.
Commonplace in Advertising: The Consciousness of Fast Fashion
In recent years, climate change has transformed the world. As temperatures and water levels rise, so do the voices of concerned citizen-turned-activists, demanding cleaner, more sustainable products. Many companies, like H&M, are listening, implementing strategies to attract customers in the wake of this social revolution. Through several advertisements, namely “Bring it on,” H&M advertises to the concerned, saying that shoppers can recycle all of their old clothing in store to be repurposed.
Throughout the add, H&M appeals to the target audience: youth. Social issues like climate change disproportionately concern youth, and therefore, the advertisement shows almost exclusively young actors. Advertisers direct these actors to further appeal to youth, through several commonplaces: the clothing is stylish and gender-fluid; and the actors are fun-loving and adventurous, running around freely. Throughout the video, the narrator accentuates H&M accepts all clothing, including the misfit and the unwanted. This wording targets youth who feel like they haven’t found their place; the company argues they will find belonging in the store: “Just bring it. The useless, the misfit, the redundant. We’ll make sure that it gets what it deserves.”
H&M further uses commonplaces in the settings to appeal to shoppers. Shots of a low-lit house-party represent a commonplace for youth and fun, as actors dance across the screen, as does the diner, which represents a date spot for young lovers. Shots of the skylined rooftop render an aura of freedom and liberation, which a shopper could feel from recycling their clothing. Images of factories illustrate the idea of hard work and transformation, stressed by the quick cuts of the video. Finally, shots of the beach and woods depict the commonplace of natural beauty, emphasizing the importance of keeping the earth clean through the recycling program.
Through this and similar advertisements of consciousness, H&M intends to propel itself towards a green-status, and it does so without actual improvement. Little to none of the clothing is actually recycled, and many new clothes are burned every year rather than being donated (as poverty is not on brand). Meanwhile, the fast fashion they sell is anything but sustainable: H&M treats its workers unethically, while new clothing releases make relatively new clothing go out of style.
H&M has made billions of dollars off of the backs of impoverished and unprivileged people, and now their unsustainable practices will disproportionately affect the same people. While their advertisers carefully crafted a scheme surrounding consciousness, it deeply contrasts the reality. Climate Change: Bring it on.