ABSTRACT

This chapter looks at the domestic space of the home and how advertising is an important part of that environment. A distinction between public and private space is established with domestic space as part of the latter. Television, radio and more recently the Internet have been characterized as a bridge between the public and private. Although a variety of screens transmit advertisements such as personal computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, the television set remains an important symbolic and real presence in domestic space. Roger Silverstone suggests the domestic can be imagined as three distinct, but overlapping areas, those of home, household and family. Reception occurs as part of an interpretive community based on specific household circumstances where a local household or family culture is an important element in advertising reception. Decoding of television advertising largely takes place in the household and gives rise to television talk, which can include reference to advertising.