| This case study is a qualitative analysis of the first ten years of Nike women's advertising. Cultural studies and sociological theoretical perspectives, specifically Johnson's (1986) circuits of production and Hodders' (1998) theory of material culture underpin this research. Political economy theoretical perspectives also influence this work. As brand advertising emerges within a global economic paradigm, a multidisciplinary approach provides the broader perspectives necessary for a holistic analysis of the production of contemporary advertising.;Specifically, three empirical questions are addressed. First, to what extent do the creators of advertising (creatives) bring their own experiences (their everyday lives) to bear on the advertising they produce and how do they do this? Second, to what extent do the environments (physical, social and psychological) in which creatives' work affect the advertising imagery they produce? Finally to what extent, if any, do externalities such as Nike's labor practices or the passage of Title IX affect advertising imagery?;Like the multidiscipline theoretical approach that underpins this research, the methodology is similarly complex. Multiple qualitative methods are employed using a triangulated approach encompassing non-participant observations, in-depth interviews, and textual or semiotic analysis of advertising imagery.;The results of this study suggest that the production of advertising is highly impacted by the everyday lives of the creatives. It also suggests that environmental factors as well as externalities substantially influence the creative process and thus the advertising imagery that is ultimately produced. This case study represents an in-depth analysis of the creative process of advertising production---an aspect of advertising too long ignored by the academic world. |
