In today’s world of economic drivers and rising planetary concerns, saving money is on everyone’s minds, and saving the planet, well, that’s important too.
Saving means “a reduction or lessening of expenditure or outlay”, or “to avoid the spending, consumption, or waste of”. It is ironic when advertising uses the gimmick of ‘SAVING to encourage BUYING’ — usually the buying of much more than one needs!
The building in this image is very flashy- suggesting a King’s portion with the crown top, as though everyone can afford to be a king here. The windows are littered in advertisement; every possible catch line is used to get customers in the door.
Customers are drawn in by the idea of saving — a worthy gesture — but in the image, two excessive customers are pushing an overflowing cart of items- bargain items they likely did not need in the first place. They are simply stuffing their lives with bargain buys from “Stuffo”. “3 for the price of 2- wow, that means we are saving!” (it doesn’t matter if we already have 12 of those!)
Its brainwashing, compulsive buy terminology like “More More” and “Save Save” together on a window that encourages a wasteful behavior, and feeling good about it. It seems there is not really a concern about saving resources in this society; its how we can get more stuff.
A “Plastic Bags” sign points to a very small “Save the planet” bin which sits outside of Stuffo in vain, as wasteful society passes by dropping one, maybe two recyclables to feel as though they “did a little did something”, when in fact they did much more than a little to create the problem. It’s as though the attempts to make people aware of how being wasteful effects this planet is sometimes simply another trend- an accessory, but not a true lifestyle.
This image generates an emotion of conviction and frustration through its irony. The people in this image are not saving anything- they are not saving the panda on the man’s shirt, not saving resources by putting one bag in and taking 50 out, and they’re not saving money. Through this conviction, the image works to persuade one to consider the true meaning of saving, and evaluate our resources and what we are doing to save.
