RECEPTION ANALYSIS OF REPRESENTATION OF ATATÜRK IN COMMERCIAL MEDIA

Abstract

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk won the hearts of the Turkish people for his success in The War of Independence and also for the realization of the reforms after the victory. Ataturk has been started to use figuratively in advertisements in recent years as a character. The aim of this study is to determine the ideological affect of a commercialized Ataturk as portrayed in advertisement in terms of viewer perceptions. By exploring viewer interpretations, the study is important for understanding audience thoughts about the representation of a revered figure like Ataturk in advertisements tending commercial interests. A reception analysis of four advertisements that had wide reflection from the public as they were aired, because of featuring actors representing Ataturk, has been implemented to explore the perceptions of 10 participants with approximately equal socio-demographic characteristics. The commercials have been viewed at predetermined dates and hours together with the participants, utilizing the ethnographic method. After the viewing, the participants have been in-depth interviewed one by one to assess the cognitive-psychological impacts of the program. The interpretations of the participants were in accordance to the social environment they lived in and were evaluated accordingly. Thereafter, the answers were analyzed for their meanings, with the ideological dimensions of the texts also taken into account. The results showed –as stated in the reception analysis- that the participants were engaging in active interpretation during the viewing session, rather than reading the commercial texts passively.