Advertising is a fickle industry. Sometimes, ads are viewed as works of art unto themselves, and cause us to laugh, cry, and experience every emotion in between. Other times, we download third party software with the explicit intent of never seeing an ad again. Some ads utilize data to inform, entertain, or even aid us, while others embody an almost stalker-like presence through their targeting. All ads, however, share one common trait: they are a mirror of our inner desires.
If an advertisement is supposed to play to a person’s base desires, doesn’t it make sense that those same ads speak to the current state of our society? This raises another question: what do we desire?
When you watch a well done, thoughtfully crafted advertisement, you’re investing your time in more than a product. You’re investing in a narrative. As 2016 has mercifully wound to a close, we take a look back on the narratives that resonated the most with our society from the past year. These selections appeared in multiple “Top X” lists throughout the year, and begin to paint the picture of how we perceive ourselves and those around us.
