THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ADVERTISING: FIELD SCIENTIFICATION INITIATIVES

Abstract

The relationship between theory and practice is a central axis in any field of knowledge and, in the field of social communication, especially in Brazilian advertising and propaganda, this relationship takes on unique contours and problems, often manifested in the rejection of theory for practice. In this article, we start from the hypothesis that advertising practice can benefit profoundly from scientification based on theories in the field. The dialectic between theory and practice not only drives innovation and critical thinking, but also fosters the improvement of approaches in the advertising field. This article seeks to present a set of theories in the field of advertising and propaganda with the aim of offering an introductory theoretical framework for a more scientific professional practice, distancing itself from theoretical fads and pseudoscientific currents. The text explores the first theoretical formulations that consolidated the field and delves into the contributions of Gérard Lagneau, Jean Baudrillard and Néstor García Canclini, with the purpose of strengthening the foundations that guide contemporary advertising practice.