1) According to Berger, how do “publicity”–what we would call advertising–images influence consumers and why is this significant?

According to Berger, publicity makes us want to purchase more items in order to make us feel more rich and valued when in fact we are wasting our money on items we don’t need.

2) As he compares oil painting to publicity (advertising) photography, Berger argues that oil painting “showed what the owner was already enjoying among his possessions and way of life;” “it enhanced his view of himself as he already was.”  Whereas publicity pictures, “appeal to a way of life that we aspire to or think we aspire to.” Why are these differences important? What do they reveal to us about the production of images for publicity?   

These differences are Important because they can make us understand the differences between the real world and fantasy. The advertisements are a fantasy of our reality. We see beautiful women , the best products , amazing views and we want that for ourselves.  We spend more money trying to fit in and also trying to feel fortunate. Which often times can change a person. Burger explains that  the oil paintings were a depiction of what was already the reality. Publicity is the art of capitalism and The oil paintings were the quality of life of wealthy owners.

3) Choose one of the “dreams” he offers or think of your own. How does this dream offered by advertising use imagery to manipulate consumers?   

In “The Dream a Far Away Place”, advertisers use different situations to create a different fantasy for consumers. This fantasy is often the life that consumers desire to have. Advertising manipulates consumers to obtain the maximum commercial value by showing them what they want not what they need.