Defense Date

3-12-2007

Graduation Date

Spring 1-1-2008

Availability

Worldwide Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Communication and Rhetorical Studies

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Pat Arneson

Committee Member

Calvin L. Troup

Committee Member

Ronald C. Arnett

Keywords

Advertising Effectiveness, Integrated Dualism, Integrated Marketing Communication, Intellectual Immaturity

Abstract

This study examines increasing consumer suspicion in light of contemporary marketing praxis. Immanuel Kant's concept of "self-inflicted intellectual immaturity" is traced throughout 20th century marketing literature. A review of the public relations practices of Edward Bernays reveals a close similarity to recent concepts of integrated marketing communication (Schultz). This project contrasts marketing communication approaches grounded in mass psychology with the rational choice model of consumer behavior.

These dualistic viewpoints are often regarded as mutually exclusive; however, this author proposes an "integrated dualism" of marketing communication to provide consumers with ways to redeem rhetorical "tokens" (Mayhew) that constitute the managerial rhetoric (Sproule) of advertising. "Integrated dualism" constitutes an economic as well as ethical response to the multiplicity of the postmodern marketplace.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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