Roundtable: Understanding Audiences' Interpretations of Advertisements

This roundtable brings together professors and practitioners to discuss how to understand audiences' interpretations of advertisements. Topics covered include various theoretical perspectives on audience interpretations of texts; implications when an advertisement addresses cultural, social, and political issues; carefully separating producer intentions from audience interpretations; how audiences assess the authenticity of an advertisement; how brands should consider audiences' perspectives and reactions; understanding what makes audience members see themselves as similar to and different than others; how advertising workplace diversity impacts creativity; how advertising needs to consider audiences' shared experiences and sensibilities; the dangers of targeted and personalized digital ads; and a discussion of significant examples of ads with notable audience reactions, such as ads for Dove Real Beauty, Pepsi, Nike, Orbitz Travel, Gillette, and Peloton.