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Ideology, Habitus and Cultural Capital: Looking at Mother's Day

Berger (2008 p.131) stated that ‘in the advertising of modern industrialized societies every image confirms and enhances every other. Publicity is a language in itself and not simply an assembly of competing messages.’

Junk mail is a form of marketing that directly sends its messages to consumers. Although there are various types of direct marketing, I will be analyzing postal junk mail, in which companies communicate to their potential clients by sending advertisements directly to their postal address. The following seeks to explore this communication system specifically on advertisements that feature Mother’s Day. Using three images from junk mail that I have personally received from Zamels, The Good Guys, and Priceline, I will apply two conceptual theories: Ideology and Habitus, Cultural Capital.  By studying the working cultural systems in this context I will investigate these conceptual theories by using semiotic analysis.

Ideology:

Ideology is a concept that is perceived in multiple ways; in this context it is study of ideas. Ward (1995, p.76) writes that ‘ideology refers to a dynamic system of values and overarching beliefs about capitalist society, about social, economic and political institutions and practices which appear to be both ‘natural’ in that they are entrenched in everyday routines, and universal in so far as they go largely unquestioned.’ How ideology correlates to a communication system such as junk mail refers to how images and texts portray a set of ideas and instill a set of expectations within the viewer. Wayne (2003, p. 174) refers to ideology as a term that works in the media by using images and stories to evoke emotions such as ‘fear, feeling and desire’. It is reinforced that the idea of ideology is not fixed; nevertheless, in its association to communication systems, it is how ideas and values work within a cultural context that may be problematic.

Habitus and Cultural Capital:

French sociologist, anthropologist and philosopher Pierre Bourdieu makes a distinction between several kinds of capital, which inevitably merge in context. Fuchs (2003, p. 391) states that, ‘By saying that the habitus is a product of economic and social processes, Bourdieu simply refers to an aspect of structuration, to the fact that the habitus is conditioned by the objective conditions of existence (i.e. the economy of the capital structure of society = distribution and composition of overall capital)’. Therefore, habitus and cultural capital is concerned with the formation of different social classes, how power is upheld within society and, how taste and habits contribute to maintaining these groups.

Lenoir (2006, p. 27) describes Bourdieu’s definition of habitus as a practice of theory ‘a habitus – that is, a set of attitudes which structure the perception and practice of research: this logic of the practice of scientific labor is related to the way in which the problems are set out, explanations developed and tools forged and used.’ One’s habitus exists within their position in the social world; their every day actions will differ from another however it may be shared within the same group. Therefore, the choice in which one acts upon is in accordance with their habitus.

Art By Lee Grissett

The Ideology of Motherhood:

Thwaites, Davis and Mules (2002, p. 160) note that gender is one of the common ways of distinction. Society has a predisposition to categorize men whose interest lies in having a job, making money, and striving for success, for women their interest lies in ‘domesticity’. But this does not include men and women who do not fit these typecast roles, such as successful businesswomen and stay at home fathers. Therefore, these predispositions work in society as ideologies and myth. For instance, every year on Mother’s Day, society continues this representation of what “motherhood” is. Ideology is the product of the phatic affect between addresser and addressee, the texts, images, signifiers and the sign’s expressive and conative function produces ideology. For instance, the image of motherhood is represented by the colors pink and purple, the connotations of this color theme follows the conventions of pink representing femininity, sweetness, and softness. In Appendix 1 heart shaped earrings, rings and necklaces, represent the idea that giving these things to a mother symbolizes ones love for her. The texts in Appendix 1 are addressed in a specific manner “I know what mum wants!xoxo”, the texts in Appendix 2 are different but similar in their address “Love you mum” both texts serve as a personal sentiment to mothers. These texts work as a phatic function by providing a personal sentiment for the addressee’s mother; hence making the text and the products simultaneously meaningful.  Thwaites, Davis and Mules (2002, p. 165) uses the metaphor of ‘hailing’ to define interpellation, one may understand that they themselves are being hailed which then they may act upon, while simultaneously being pulled in to the situation by the source, ‘the voice.’ The voice, or in this case, the addresser in Appendix 3 are The Good Guys, this advertisement interpellates by stating “Mum will love” and although this is an unfinished text the reader will finish this statement by creating the meaning through the cleaning and cooking products acting as signifiers. Essentially, the interpellated will perceive that this advertisement is saying that their mum will love this vacuum, or this blender. The addressee is being interpellated by the text provided by the addresser who interpellates, thus producing a phatic relationship. Edwards (2007, p. 1) notes that ‘Louis Althusser famously claimed that ideology works through the interpellation of individuals as subjects. Subjects are constituted by ideology in so far as it calls to individuals and provides them with a social identity.’ The ‘social identity’ that is provided in Appendix 3 suggests that mothers are homemakers; the appropriate gift therefore would be to give your mother a cleaning or cooking product. This ideology is very problematic in the sense that, in the celebration of motherhood or even of womanhood these images of vacuum cleaners and blenders allow mothers to be conceptualized as fulfilling cliché roles in society. That is not to say that there aren’t mothers who are homemakers, however, to presume that all women are, or to celebrate in essence who they are by buying them a discounted vacuum can be perceived as contemptuous. In Appendix 2 it can be seen that Priceline also offers a construction of problematic ideologies. The images of the models are signifiers; their signified meaning is that they are the ideal identity of beauty. The products give the addressee the promise of beauty. Hegemony is the form of ideology in which others experience the values and interests of the same hegemonic group as already their own, and in doing so approving the communication system and the message it delivers. Thwaites, Davis and Mules (2002, p.170) correlates hegemony to ideology by stating that the ‘values and interests’ of the ‘hegemonic group’ is identified by others by the same existing feelings whether they are aware of it or not. The hegemonic relationship between Priceline as the addressers, and the viewer as the addressee is the presentation of beauty. Beauty is a common desire of the majority; addressees consent to this ideology because they can identify with wanting to look beautiful. In relation to this advertisement and Mother’s Day it contributes to the on going cultural obsession with looking young and beautiful. This is problematic in so many different levels, however, to be specific to Mother’s Day, it offers addressees to give their mother something that will promise her beauty instead of celebrating and appreciating motherhood.

Habitus and Cultural Capital: Mothers Day

The direct mailing business is a thriving and successful division in marketing; everything that goes into direct mailing is thought out to cater successfully to the company’s intended demographic. Headden (1997, p.1) states quite bluntly that ‘direct mail is a booming industry because it targets us with scientific precision.’

Appendix 1, 2, and 3 are examples of how marketers capitalize on the social norm of Mother’s Day by advertising that theme in their junk mail. The lifestyle in which we are born in molds our behavior, our routine and our habits; this dictates how we will live for the rest of our lives. Hanks (2005, p. 69) outline habitus in three perspectives: the first being the idea of desire and judgment, the second is the ability to engage in communication whether it is verbal or non verbal, and lastly thought from cultural production. If we study the generation of meaning within the cultural practice of Mother’s Day, using the Zamel’s advertisement in Appendix 1, we can see how the texts and images target a particular habitus and cultural capital. We are presented with a cluster of jewelry; our habitus will define whether or not we find these products desirable. Whether or not we find them desirable is governed by what we perceive jewelry represents. As a gift, there are intimate connotations of love, appreciation, and engagement. As an artifact it also represents taste and wealth. The cultural production of where images and perceptions take shape exists in the signified meaning with the classic image of mother and daughter. This picturesque image of a woman being kissed on the cheek by her daughter, whilst wearing one of Zamel’s Mother’s Day charm bracelets, portrays the cultural norm of demonstrating ones appreciation for their mother.

I believe Zamel’s advertisement is targeting to a middle class demographic. Whether the advertisement is effectively reaching the husband who wants to buy a gift for his wife, or the son or daughter who wants to buy a gift for their mother, the features in this junk mail target a demographic with a specific cultural capital. The main aspect of this advertisement that leads me to believe it is targeting a low culture middle class demographic is how the jewelry is featured. Although jewelry can signify wealth, in Zamels everything is presented with discounted offers. It is as if ‘discounts’ and ‘offers’ devalue the worth of the product. The culture that would be interested in discounted goods are most likely that to be of a lower cultural capital. It is evident that in life this never this black and white, nevertheless, if for example this advertisement were featuring jewelry from Tiffany & Co the response would be from a group with a higher cultural capital.

To better define habitus and cultural capital, and how it works within the junk mail advertisements, I will apply how taste and manners, linguistic and interpersonal skills, attitudes and dispositions, cultural knowledge, and social class and movement reside in the middle class mother.

The group of middle class mothers are most likely family orientated, their tastes lie in domestic products and duties, this can been seen in Appendix 3 as The Good Guys aim to satisfy these tastes by featuring vacuum cleaners and cooking products. The middle class mother knows of high culture society but does not actively participate in it. Products that appear up market but are usually half price and not designer labeled define her tastes, in Appendix 2 you can see that Priceline aims to ease this group into purchasing discounted cosmetics by presenting them with the tagline “Paying less is a beautiful thing” this allows the middle class mother to be comfortable enough in her habitus to purchase a product that makes her feel beautiful but is considered cheap. I will draw on the example of the popular television series Desperate Housewives to demonstrate the contrast in manners and linguistics between middleclass housewives with high culture capital, and low culture capital. Bree Van de Kamp is a character known for being ‘the perfectionist’, she’s known for producing gourmet meals, owning expensive china, and writing cookbooks. She is also a social climber who although is considered a flawless suburban homemaker is capable of socializing within her own group of middle class mothers and groups from higher social class. Lynnette Scavo is the epitome of a middleclass mother; she is a stay at home mom that struggles with balancing her children’s life and her own drama. In contrast to Bree she is quite unconventional in her behavior and far from perfect. Her house is often presented as unorganized with children’s clutter everywhere; her style is typically motherly with dishtowels thrown over her shoulder and messy hair. Lynnette is often bold in her use of language and sometimes even vulgar. In the case of Bree Van de Kamp and Lynnette Scavo the habitus and cultural capital that exists within them both are strikingly different. Bree Van De Kamp has a larger cultural capital, she has more time for herself, in her free time she travels, and cooks and she has a substantial amount of assets and cultural knowledge. Moreover, she seeks for the finer things in life and favors quality of over quantity. Lynnette Scavo is often awkward when attempting to socialize with high class society, she has almost no time for herself as her everyday is consumed by her family and clerical tasks. In correlation to the Zamel’s advertisement provided in Appendix 1, someone with Bree Van de Kamp’s habitus and social capital are less likely to respond to such an advertisement. Although diamonds and gold represent wealth, due to her high cultural capital the world of discounts and low-priced goods are not appealing to someone who cares greatly about appearance and showing off her possessions. The movement of middle class mothers is always going to want to move up, they will always desire a bigger cultural capital, more money, a good neighborhood, a nice car, a private school for their children, and the opportunity to travel. The upper classes set the standers and the lower classes follow.

Conclusion:

I, and others become addressees of junk mail because there is a phatic conformity of accepting the messages they bring. Mother’s Day is a day to purchase goods and receive gifts, and perhaps it is advertising that maintains these hegemonic groups that reinforce these holidays. These groups sustain ideologies of what ‘motherhood’ is and how mothers should act. The lower and middle class with the same cultural capital accept junk mail because it is how they conform to society; it is in their habitus to respond.  I react to junk mail because I am part of this group that responds to the ideologies portrayed in them. My cultural capital as a middle class international student exposes me to this communication system and I am comfortable in my habitus to respond to it. There are various problematic issues that come with this communication system such as, invasion of privacy and the controversial representations it brings, it is my opinion however, that the reality is, we live in a capitalist society that in a major way defines our identities.  It groups us in classes, influences our decisions and ideologies. I do not believe that we are just products of capitalism, however, it is true that there is an inevitable conformity that has to exist in order to ‘belong’. 

Reference List: 

Berger, J 2008, Ways of Seeing, Penguin, London.
 Edwards, J 2007, ‘The ideological interpellation of individuals as combatants: an encounter between reinhart koselleck and michel foucault’, Journal of Political Ideologies, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1.

 Fuchs, C 2003, ‘Some implications of Pierre bourdieu’s works for a theory of social self-organization’, European Journal of Social Theory, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 391.

Hanks, WF 2005, ‘Pierre Bourdieu and the practices of languages’, Aunnual Review of Anthropology, vol.34, no. 1, pp. 69-70. Headden, S 1997, ‘The junk mail deluge’, The News & World Report, vol. 123, no. 22, pp. 1

Lenoir, R 2006, ‘Scientific habitus Pierre bourdieu and the collective intellectual’, Theory, Culture & Society, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 27. 

Thwaites, T, Davis, L & Mules M 2002, Introducing cultural and media studies, 2^nd edn, Palgrave, Basingstoke. Ward, I 1995, Politics of the Media, Macmillan, South Melbourne. 

Wayne, M 2003, Marxism and media studies: key concepts and contemporary trends, Pluto Press, London.

 Appendices:
Appendix 1 – Zamel’s
Appendix 2 – PricelineAppendix 3 – The Good Guys

Appendices:

Appendix 1 – Zamel’s

Appendix 2 – Priceline

Appendix 3 – The Good Guys