The use of gendered signifiers to promote dreams: a case study of AmEx’s “Long Live Dreams” campaign advertisement “Suitor”

In November 2002, American Express (AmEx) joined with advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather to create a company-wide commercial campaign based on the anchor “Long Live Dreams” (American Express to make brand more distinctive, Marketing, Nov 7, 2002, p2). The aim of the promotion was to “show how American Express helps consumers to fulfil their ambitions” (ibid). AmEx’s earlier 2002 campaign “Make Life Rewarding” was aimed at demonstrating “the growing role American Express plays in the everyday lives” of customers (courtesy of the AmEx homepage). Both advertising campaigns were aimed at associating AmEx with achieving goals, whether this was helping consumers realise long held ambitions or by rewarding them for their perseverance.

In this essay I analyse the attached magazine advertisement from Amex’s “Long Live Dreams” campaign, which I have named “Suitor”. I find the advertisement particularly interesting since it conveys a superabundance of ideas - the v...