TT p. 186 #1

It's not hard to discern the high end ads from the Old Navys and Targets. Prada and Versace rely on little more than their own name and muted pictures of their newest line while the lower end creates graphically stimulating pages with bright colors and snappy phrases. The customers of Gucci and the like buy these items because, well...that's what you do if you have the means: you buy what Armani puts out because how else are you to display your wealth? Besides, you don't have many options. There are only a handful of companies that can compete with Mercedez-Benz so your choices are limited. But the myriad companies that serve the middle class must elbow and squeeze their way into the spotlight with catchy ad campaigns and eye-popping illustrations of what it is you can get at their store. That brings us to another difference--the higher end ads are selling brands while the lower end ads are trying to get you to come to their store. Yes, Burberry has stores, but it is the only brand you can buy there while J.C. Penney wants you to come to their store so you can spot that Xhiliration tee that your niece might love when you actually went to pick up a new Nine West purse.
Women are treated differently in the ads, as well. You will never find a mother portrayed in a Prada ad--all the women are young, single and slightly bored looking. Women in Target ads are either young with a boy on their arm or a mother figure (best prices on diapers and you can pick up a new little black dress). Upper class women are meant to be independent and confident, while in the lower class they easily fall into the category of wife and mother.
The higher ends are very good at knowing what class they are targeting, as well. It is very, very rare to see an African or Asian American in a Dolce and Gabbana ad, but the Gap uses all sorts of races in their ads because high class is still defined as skinny, rich and white.