Abstracts of Papers
Dr. Geneviève Susemihl:
Marketing the Imaginary Indian - Native Americans in German Advertisement
Various images of the American Indian have always been fundamental to Germans. From Cooper's Leather-Stocking Tales to Karl May's Winnetou in books, shows and on television, from Dances with Wolves to Der Schuh des Manitou, from Indian clubs to Indian museums - the "imaginary Indian" has always been with us, oscillating throughout history from friend to foe, from Noble Savage to bloodthirsty warrior, from monosyllabic "squaw" to eloquent princess, from enemy of progress to protector of the environment. The Indians of childhood have stayed with us until this very day, being unsophisticated and independent, much of a child themselves, in the need of protection.
This paper examines how various historical and contemporary images and representations of the North American Indians emerged in the world of German advertisement, how these partly distorted and limited perceptions of Native Americans effect consumers, and what ideas and values are behind those images. Throughout the paper advertisement campaigns for different products are analyzed, discussing the marketing value of the images and the visual representation.
|
