In class today we discussed the concept of "tmesis". As I understand it is meanings and feelings that arise from a text that can not actually be found within the text. Dr. Casey explained that authors or creators cannot control what tmesis takes place within their texts because they don't know what pre-dispositions their audience might have. I would disagree with this. I think that the cornerstone of successful advertising and marketing is the controlling and prediction of tmesis.
We have learned throughout the CMC core courses about how advertisers use certain symbols and signifiers to make us think things without actually having to say them. Often this is necessary because if they had to say their message outright it would sound ridiculous and people would reject it. This idea connects to what we were talking about in class, that often tmesis takes place outside of your body or logical mind. Granted an author cannot literally control tmesis but it can be predicted and in some ways controlled through time.
For example, it is very typical for a clothing advertisement to have a man dressed in the advertised clothes, surrounded by women who are also dressed in whatever product is being pushed. All the women will be looking at the guy very sexually or admiringly. This formula has been used over and over again. Advertisers know that this is a successful combination and they know it will be successful because they can predict the tmesis that will take place for the majority of the population. Granted, many of us CMC majors will have a different opinion because of our education, and many other in society will as well, but a large but of society will read this ad in much the same way. Advertisers know that guys will see man surrounded by beautiful women and think how that is not what their life is but they wish it was and so maybe if they bought these clothes their lives could start to resemble this. This is not really logical but, as established, tmesis often isn't. Girls will see the advertisement and think that they like the way the females in the advertisement look and they would like to look like that so maybe they should buy the clothes.
In this example, the advertisers do not have full control over people's tmesis or the ability to predict what every single person will think. However, the process of successful advertising is to create as many different signs as you can that will play with people's unconscious just as much as their conscious and will illicit favorable emotional and mental reactions. This is one major reason why most products try to sell a value or a lifestyle more so than a product - few of us have emotional reactions or experience strong tmesis with products, but we can all relate to lifestyles and emotions.
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1 comment:
Great post. You really thought about the class discussion and linked it to what you have learned in your other courses as a CMC major. I also really enjoyed your tmesis theory about advertising and marketing.
-Starfish
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