January 2023: In Focus

Consumer Insight: Studying TV Ads to Understand Social Perceptions

Deborah J. DanuserAmericans are constantly bombarded with advertising. Ads can be many things: entertaining, annoying, informative. But what about: windows to social phenomena? What can we learn about ourselves as a society from the content of television ads?

Deborah J. Danuser, a doctoral candidate in the Dietrich School’s Department of Communication, analyzes TV commercials to understand the perception, representation, and communication of science and scientists in the United States.

“Advertising is important to look at for a couple of reasons,” explains Danuser. “It is very much integrated into Western culture and capitalist society.”

Danuser says that because information must be conveyed quickly in an ad, commercials often rely on stereotypes to help viewers’ brains quickly categorize their content.

“Commercials are either leaning into stereotypes or actively trying to counter them because you’ll pay attention.”

Performing research on advertising content satisfies Danuser’s love for both science and public relations. As an undergraduate, Danuser initially sought a biology degree, but later pivoted toward communication after a particularly interesting intro course.

“Ever since then, I've just married the two interests,” says Danuser. “My undergrad honors thesis was looking at general news magazines’ coverage of cloning, like Dolly the sheep. My master's research looked at television commercials and how they use science.”

After obtaining her master’s degree, Danuser launched a successful career in public relations in Washington, DC, but she never let go of her research interests.

“When I graduated with my MA from the University of North Dakota, I chose to not do anything with my research. So it just sat there for 15-20 years, and I found that it didn't look like anyone else had picked up that line of research. I kept finding myself going back to it. What brought me to Pitt was one of my faculty mentors from the University of North Dakota. When I told him I was applying to PhD programs, literally one of the first things he said was, ‘Well you need to apply to Pitt.’ The Rhetoric of Science Program is one of the focuses in the Department of Communication here.”

Pitt has been a great place for Danuser to perform her work.

“The department has been incredibly supportive, which has been a blessing because I had taken time off of school between my masters and my PhD, and in many ways, I had forgotten how to be a student,” Danuser says. “When I'm doing unique things in the department, they're very supportive. I might be the only one looking at TV commercials in science, but everyone's like, ‘Go for it!’”

Danuser decided to revisit her masters work for her doctoral research to assess how the portrayal of science and scientists has changed in advertising over time.

“One of the things that I found with my 2001 dataset was that if science was being used as an expert endorser, then it was white males in lab coats. You found the women and people of color when it was a low-stakes product like soda or tennis shoes as opposed to cars. Also, they were more likely to be there when science was being used as a humor device; it was more storytelling than expert endorsement,” says Danuser. “I'm still processing data, so everything I have is incredibly preliminary. But I'm very intrigued to see if what I find in my 2021 data is the same, or if we have gotten better, so to speak.”

Danuser’s background in public relations gives her a unique and valuable perspective as she evaluates advertising data.

“I think it gives me insight into, or at least an appreciation for, the work that the private sector does,” Danuser acknowledges. “While I'm not in the room when the advertising execs are pitching or having the conversations about content, I have an idea of what's gone into that conversation. I think sometimes scholars want to just critique and focus on what's wrong. And sometimes, in my research, I want to call out what they're doing right.”

While it has been encouraging to see diverse representation increasing in media, Danuser asserts that ad campaigns often still do not go far enough to support underrepresented groups.

“Representation is great, but you have to back it up with action,” Danuser says. “I'm encouraged about the fact that representation is a conversation being had, but it can't just be, ‘Let’s slap a picture on promotional materials with them in the room.’”

Danuser hopes to obtain a tenure-track position upon graduation, but would also be interested in working for a group that works toward increasing awareness about science and STEM. She is passionate about teaching others and hopes to continue doing so.

“When I was doing my masters, I was surprised by how much I liked teaching. I really try to center my teaching on: Here are the concepts, here are the applications. Let’s do an assignment that helps you understand those two things as well as refine your communication skills. I always hope my students leave with a better understanding of communication, but also some practical skills. I want to encourage them to look critically, or with a more open mind, at the media they consume. It’s so easy to not pay attention to the commercial that pops up on your screen, or to walk past billboards. But who’s getting airtime, who’s not, and who’s making the decisions? Those are important questions to ask.”

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