Prescription drug advertisements as fantasies: A cultural critique using a visualization model

Foss' (1994) rhetorical schema for the evaluation of visual images in conjunction with elements of Bormann's (1982) theories on fantasy theme analysis provides a framework for the creation of the included Visualization model which enables the examination of prevalent advertising images. The transformation of the dissemination of information from a verbal to a visual focus necessitates studies that explore the social messages invading the collective unconscious. The implicit messages and related fantasy themes in the visual dimension influence perceptions and individual visions of what is real. Imagery tells us much of what we know about the world. Consequently, the profusion of images creates various versions of reality and fantasy. This study seeks to explore current world-visions and fantasy themes communicated in the visual domain. The underlying premise is that the lines separating reality and fantasy fade in the intersection of image interpretation, individual standpoints and various lived experiences.