Mass communication is referring to the process of transmitting information through various kinds to large segments of the population. It usually happens using one or many forms of media, which is the mean of transmission, whether it is print, digital, or electronic (Lule, 2013). Mass communication is different from interpersonal communication and organizational communication; it is focusing mainly on transmitting information to numerous receivers. In our daily lives, there are five functions of mass communication: surveillance, cultural transmission, linkage, correlation, and entertainment. These functions exist in the print ads, commercials and the Internet. Hence, this paper will state three functions, the surveillance, cultural transmission, and linkage on a magazine print ad.
The advertisement is about a pancake flour brand called “Aunt Jemima”. Although the advertisement was published in the 1940s, it is still a hot topic being discussed in these few years. Let us look into detail about how the functions of mass communication being generated in this advertisement.
First and foremost, the primary function of mass communication is surveillance. It serves to inform and observe. The function of surveillance has two common kinds, warning surveillance and instrumental surveillance. For the warning surveillance, it occurs when the media tells us about threats from hurricanes, blizzards, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, and the economic conditions. These warnings are mostly talking about immediate threats or chronic threats. Similarly, the news of drug abuse, food crisis and increasing deforestation are also examples to warning or beware surveillance which may create anxiety to the society (“The Online Media”). Other than that, the news about the weather, new products, fashion ideas, recipes, and so on are examples of instrumental surveillance which provide useful information for daily function.
In this case, instrumental surveillance has indicated in the advertisement of Aunt Jamima’s pancake flour product. As mentioned above, the recipe is also an example of instrumental surveillance, and the print ad of this pancake flour product has not only provided information about the product, it also included a recipe for doing delicious Butter-Stretchin’ Syrup! As stated in the Handbook of Journalism and Mass Communication by Anggarwal and Gupta (2001), an instrumental surveillance has to do with the transmission with many helpful information in every-day life. The recipe for Butter-Stretchin’ Syrup included the list of ingredients needed for making scrumptious syrup made things easier. Users do not need to search a recipe for a long time. Instead, they have to refer to the instruction on the advertisement.
Moving forward, the next function that can see in the advertisement is the cultural transmission and this function, also known as socialization. It allows the media to serve as a transmitter of some particular cultural messages (Emma, 2019). Socialization is a continuing process that introduces people to the social norms and customs. This process makes people behave in their own or others culture and society; they have to adapt and accept it (Cole, 2020). Through this process, we may adapt ourselves in a greater sense to become a member of society. Media, however, socialize people, especially children and new-comers.
The advertisement of Aunt Jamima’s pancake flour provides an opportunity for everyone to make pancakes in just a minute. Perhaps it is a Western brand that may not be common in Asian, and it has done the transmission of culture through the advertisement. Now, everyone who has seen this print ad can make their pancakes’ syrup by following the recipe. Besides, the recipe given can also be done with other pancake flour brands.
Next, the last function that can observe in the advertisement is linkage. This function is to bring together various elements of society that are not directly connected (Mohamed, 2015). The media can join geographically separate groups of similar interest, and even weather coverage can achieve linkage. The media can also reinforce positive or negative values through extensive exposure and constant repetition. One positive element of linkage is that it enhances socialization; that means we learn about others. It also enhances solidarity. We have strength in numbers because of our shared belief, and it reinforces positive values. But we also can see that there are some harmful elements of linkage. Mass communication enables anti-social elements to link up. For example, the hate group use the Internet to recruit new members and fundraise (Dugas, 2017).
Other than that, the media can also reinforce negative values. In Terry Dugas’s words (2017), he says that mass media can create negative role models too. For example, in this Aunt Jemima brand, it creates a common bond, a shared experience between disparate people, but to the detriment of society.
In conclusion, we need to be reflective of the presence of mass communication in our daily lives because we have been given the power of different functions of it (McLuhan & Fiore, 1967). From the above discussion, we know that mass communication has five standard functions, and we have discussed three of them; surveillance, cultural transmission and linkage. On to of that, we use the print ad of Aunt Jemima’s pancake flour to proceed with the discussion. It has given us more lucid viewpoints toward the three functions.