Choice 评论

Cortese (sociology, Southern Methodist Univ.) presents an interdisciplinary critique of advertising based on depictions of gender, race, and ethnicity in advertising media. This new edition (2nd ed., CH, Oct'04, 42-1033) begins by introducing advertising as reflective of cultural beliefs, ideologies, and values, and includes copious references from recent research. The main section elaborates on this theme by examining contemporary examples of the way advertising portrays biological drives, gender representations, ethnic images, and race relations. Relevant advertisements and illustrative case studies are incorporated throughout to emphasize key points. One chapter discusses ethnic marketing as a form of segmentation, stressing the importance of conducting marketing research to gain an understanding of subcultural tastes and preferences. The concluding chapter explores the characteristics of postmodern advertising and suggests policies for responsible advertising. The book is written in a technical, scholarly style, which makes it best suited for advanced readers. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and practitioners with an academic bent. S. D. Clark St. John's University (NY)