Seventeenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Researchers have argued that advertisers use the public’s values and conventional beliefs in their own interests, which allows us to learn about the dominant values in a society from its advertisements. In this research we analyze the value changes reflected in Israeli television commercials between 2012 and 2016 and uncover messages that advertisers did not necessarily intend to convey. We would like to see in reality the Israeli society that is represented and reflected in advertisements that portray a, pleasant, inviting, consumer-friendly, ideal world. The analysis of the commercials in the current study discloses the deep currents beneath the surface and allows researchers to understand how major changes in Israeli society emerge over time. The values that we found emphasize inadequacy and social divisions, distrust, infidelity, irresponsibility, the subversion of child-adult and male-female relations, and financial anxiety.