Application of Bakhtinian Concepts to ‘Interactive’ Advertising

ABSTRACT: Before the 1980s the concept of interactivity was seldom addressed, but since then the number of articles discussing interactivity has increased at a fast rate. Researchers over and over again introduce classifications, definitions, dimensions of, and measurement models for interactivity. Yet, there is still no consensus reached by the researchers about how interactivity can be defined, let alone on how it can be measured. This study proposes an actual theoretical framework around which systematic knowledge regarding interactivity can be built. This work problamatizes the concept of interactivity suggested by earlier studies and explore several problems related to interactive advertising by using the concepts of dialogic relationships, carnival, polyphony, and chronotope proposed by Russian philosopher, Mikhail Bakhtin (1895-1975). One of the main problems which this study addresses is communication within the advertising system. The study argues for the application of the principles of dialogic relationships in the construction of a model for advertising. Taking into account the time/space factor, a dialogic model provides explanation of how various actors communicate in the advertising system and discloses the misunderstandings that may occur between various actors involved in the advertising message production matrix. This study considers the concept of control and examines how it influences the communication process between different actors. It argues that none of the actors involved in communication can have dominating and permanent control over the message creation process. Furthermore, it shows that in communication, there is no transmission, but only co-creation of the message. Interactivity is viewed as a characteristic of the relationships between various elements of advertising communication. Interactivity is the basis for existence, because for Bakhtin, an entity can ‘be’ only if it co-exists with another entity: one does not exist alone but co-exists with the ‘other’. Existence is based on the simultaneous ‘being’ of two entities where the existence of one defines the existence of the ‘other’ and vice versa. Therefore, the advertisement and the observer enter the dialogical relationships as soon as the advertisement is heard, read, viewed etc. by the observer; they co-create each other simultaneously. The ‘monologic’ utterance within ‘self’ is impossible because in order to conceive ‘self’ there is a necessity of ‘other’ where ‘other’ is defined as what ‘self is not’. This view creates the discourse of vulnerability, which can be understood in terms of the ways researchers perceive knowledge. Discourse of vulnerability offers diversity, non-dogmatism, decentralized position of the subject, and sensitivity to particular cases. I take a position of vulnerability by the application of dialogicality and polyphony. This study, following its polyphonic nature, not only implements the Bakhtinian concepts, but also questions and develops them further. This is done by integrating Bakhtinian philosophy with other theories and ideas. Therefore, within analytic utilization of Bakhtinian conceptions, various approaches and points of view have been applied. Keywords: Advertising, communication, dialogue, Bakhtin, interactivity, chronotope, dialogic relationships, carnival, polyphony. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………