Advertising has permeated our popular culture as much as any other aspect of the media. This comprehensive text provides a balanced analysis of advertising - as a business practice and as a creator of symbolic environments. The critique reflects current theories on advertising by illustrating how it both draws from and contributes to popular culture, and uses specific excerpts from advertising campaigns to illustrate this point. The book traces the role of advertising in our culture from its evolution as part of the culture of mass consumption in the late 19th century, the development of advertising agencies and the creation of a consumer culture to an exploration of the major themes of American advertising. The author also provides a critical examination of the role of advertising in our culture today.