Automible advertising in Le Soir, Brussels 1905-1950

Without denying the importance of symbolic values inherent in modern advertising, I try to argue that arguments used in advertisements should be linked to commercial strategies as well as to broader cultural backgrounds. Advertising is never just advertising, it is always advertising for something. The presence —or absence— of appeal arguments has been a function of production techniques, commercial positions and the general situation on the market for the product involved. Arguments used in advertising do not just come into existence as an outcome of a natural process of evolution. Within an expanding market, the product-introducing force of appeal arguments can be useful. Yet producers will be likely to return to price/quality arguments whenever the market becomes stagnant, and competitive pressure rises.

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