Ninth Entry: #3 Ethographic Essay Topic

I have chosen to write my ethnography paper on the subculture of professional advertisers because I am an advertising/public relations major. I am interesting in studying and learning about the distinct traits and cultures that makes an advertising agency or agent so distinct.
Advertising is a select profession that has been increasing over that last couple of years. Advertising is also unique because most of the time, decisions are made by team members who have to work together and settle their differences. Agencies work as a team, rather than individuals so that they can keep their clients happy and become successful.
Many advertising agencies share common beliefs and behaviors. They are generally pretty good at knowing what a client wants. A lot of advertisers often may have their ethics challenged and most people who work in the industry know what is right and what is inappropriate. Certain behaviors are also present among many advertisers. They tend to follow the same formats, such as researching, organizing, and presenting information, and they also can become very competitive if they are working for a high profile client.
Most advertisers have their own language, or phrases to describe certain things. One common word that can compromise an agency’s integrity is “puffery.” Puffery is a small lie that makes an advertisement more entertaining than it might otherwise be. For example, the phrase, “whiter than white,” is a good use of puffery. Many other words that are significant to an advertiser’s vocabulary are Image, perception, and repetition.
Unlike other subcultures, advertisers don’t have an extremely specific style of clothing. They tend to wear business attire so that they can appeal to the professional industry. Advertisers do share interests over certain ads on TV, radio, in magazines, and in print.
Advertising is a very competitive and creative industry that contributes billions of dollars to the economy every year. The subculture is unique because it involves individuals who contribute their creativity and opinions to a group, in order to create an incredible finished product.