Presenting a range of perspectives on advertising in a global society, this Second Edition of Controversies in Contemporary Advertising examines economic, political, social, and ethical perspectives and covers a number of topics including stereotyping, controversial products, consumer culture, and new technology. The book is divided equally between macro and micro issues, providing a balanced portrait of the role advertising has in society today. Author Kim Bartel Sheehan's work recognizes the plurality of opinions towards advertising, allowing the reader to form and analyze their own judgments. It encourages readers to obtain a critical perspective on advertising issues.

The Second Edition remains the only book to discuss both theory and application of qualitative research techniques to inspire great advertising and build strong brands. Using a step-by-step approach, designed for students considering advertising careers and for those currently working in the advertising industry, this book explains what qualitative research techniques are designed to do and how they aid in uncovering insights useful for advertising strategy development, creative development, and post-campaign evaluation. Practical information and discussions on interviewing, projective techniques focus groups, and online/social media applications positioned within a theoretical context of the value of qualitative research will bring the content from the pages to the real world.

"This is an important book for those contemplating entering the advertising field as professionals. The book exposes readers to the issues that most professionals will likely confront in this highly volatile, often controversial, industry. Most importantly Bartel Sheehan provides logical, concise arguments exposing multiple perspectives that will help those new to the advertising industry better understand both sides of a number of complex issues."

--Chris Cakebread, Boston University

Controversies in Contemporary Advertising is a new text presenting a range of perspectives on advertising. It examines economic, political, social, and ethical perspectives and covers a number of topics including stereotyping, controversial products, consumer culture, and new technology.

The book is divided equally between macro and micro issues, providing a balanced portrait of the role advertising has in society today. Author Kim Bartel Sheehan's work recognizes the plurality of opinions towards advertising, allowing the reader to form and analyze their own judgments. It encourages readers to obtain a critical perspective on advertising issues.

• Assessment of the "critic" using credentials, reputation, past work, authority, purpose, and bias
• Assessment of argument and support with logic, statistics, emotional appeals, timeliness, examples, word choice, and accuracy
• Assessment of relevance: audience and acknowledgements of counter arguments
• A plurality of viewpoints on the chosen topics and questions presented
• Viewpoints selected from a range of literature published during the past fifty years
• Traditional perspectives augmented with the most up-to-date research and examples

Controversies in Contemporary Advertising is ideally suited as a core text for undergraduate and graduate courses in advertising, marketing, journalism, mass communication, and communication studies.