Ways of Seeing: Fine Arts and Commerce

by Berger, John; British Broadcasting Corporation. Television Service · 1974

▶ Play as a picture story

This video segment, produced by the BBC and part of the educationalfilms collection, delves into the pervasive influence of advertising in modern society. It explores how images of an alternative, glamorous lifestyle are omnipresent in various media, suggesting that buying products can transform one's life, even as it potentially makes one poorer. The video contrasts historical imagery from oil paintings with modern advertising, highlighting how glamour has become a central concept in a consumer society. It critiques the way advertising creates an idealized lifestyle that is both aspirational and anxiety-inducing, linking material success with sexual desirability. The segment examines how products like shaving soap and a drink are sold not just for their function but for the lifestyle they represent, often distorting reality to create an unreachable ideal. It concludes by contrasting the reality of refugee photographs with their cultural context, encouraging viewers to judge the presented arguments based on their own experiences.