This month we are asking you to think about marketing and media manipulation. You might even want to turn up to a Convention on these issues.
Fairtrade and beyond
We are all conscious that over-consumption is bad for the environment and can be bad for our health; but our economic system is permanently set to growth at any cost. In an age of spin we are bombarded with information and images that push us to consume more. Are we immune to the spin tactics of people in the marketing and advertising industries, or are we kidding ourselves?
At JustAct we have focussed a lot on ethical consumerism everything from holidays to Fairtrade certified footballs. We will continue to do this; but sometimes it is worth thinking about these kinds of issues more deeply.
Organisations such as Fairtrade urge us to ethically consume. Is this possible? Or are even these well-meaning schemes just another marketing tool to keep us feeling good about the way our economy works?
Cultural theorist Slavoj Zizek (who has recently written a provocative book with prominent UK theologian John Milbank) has been asking some serious questions about the nature of consumerism. Check out Action x 1 to have a look at the clip.
Milbank says that fair trade initiatives can be positive:
“Things like the economy of fair-traded food-items may not sound dramatic or decisive and indeed they remain pathetically marginal and often compromised, but nevertheless the extension of such gift-exchange bit by bit is the sure way forward rather than revolution, government action alone or else capitalistic solutions. Groups linking across the globe can ensure that something is given back to the earth and that genuine goods go into planetary circulation.”
Kids – a marketing tool?
Melinda Tankard Reist is a well known expert on sexualisation of children through marketing. As an author (Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls), speaker, commentator, blogger and advocate for women and girls. She is a strong supporter for ethical marketing; particularly in relation to children.
Photo: Tankard Reist
Tankard Reist is a critic of what is termed raunch culture. She controversially says that the cause of women has gone backwards since the second wave of feminism. She was a founder of the organisation Collective Shout; it names and shames companies that inappropriately use sexualised images of young girls in their marketing. Her popular blog (http://melindatankardreist.com/) covers controversial topics on a regular basis.
Are kids being used as marketing tools? Leave a comment below and tell us how you feel (see ‘Leave a reply’ at the bottom of the page).
Spin convention coming up
Some exciting speakers and workshop leaders will join the Justice and International Mission Unit of the Uniting Church for their upcoming Convention Consuming Passions: Consuming Us? Although aimed at an older audience, this will be an ideal event to attend for Christians and others who want to hear more about these issues.
In addition to Melinda Tankard Reist, there will be some great speakers, workshop leaders and panellists, including:
Jane Caro is a well known communications consultant who has been a regular panellist on the ABC program The Gruen Transfer. She is also a lecturer in Advertising Creative at the School of Communication Arts at the University of Western Sydney. She will be part of a provocative panel discussion: Are there such things as ethical consumption and ethical marketing?
Cameron Neil is an advocate for the Fairtrade labelling; which guarantees a better deal for third world producers. Theologians such as John Milbank in the UK are supporters, but others say the system does not address the root causes of poverty for producers of commodities like tea and coffee. Neil will be sure to add some interest to the panel discussion on ethical consumption.
Find out about going – at Action x 2
Share your thoughts about spin, the advertising and marketing industry and ethical consumerism
