--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many billboards and magazine ads have…" description: "\"Many billboards and magazine ads have resorted to showing isolated body parts rather than full-body portraits of models using or wearing products. This..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed4/douglas-rushkoff-2188_abstract_many-billboards-and-magazine-ads-have-re_614357.jpg" --- # Many billboards and magazine ads have resorted to showing… ![“Many billboards and magazine ads have resorted to showing isolated body parts rather than full-body portraits of models using or wearing products. This style of photography, known in the industry as abstract representation, allows the viewer to see himself in the advertisement, rather than the…” quote by Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed4/douglas-rushkoff-2188_abstract_many-billboards-and-magazine-ads-have-re_614357.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed4/douglas-rushkoff-2188_abstract_many-billboards-and-magazine-ads-have-re_614357.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed4/douglas-rushkoff-2188_abstract_many-billboards-and-magazine-ads-have-re_614357.jpg) > “Many billboards and magazine ads have resorted to showing isolated body parts rather than full-body portraits of models using or wearing products. This style of photography, known in the industry as abstract representation, allows the viewer to see himself in the advertisement, rather than the model.” [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Abstract representation isolates body parts so viewers can project themselves onto the product, enhancing personal relevance. **In simple terms:** Shows parts to let viewers imagine themselves. Key Takeaway Use partial images to increase personal connection. Themes advertising psychology visual design Mood engaging reflective Type marketing visual strategy When to use this quote - fashion campaigns - tech product ads - billboard design - social media marketing Key Concepts self‑projection identity consumer engagement Questions to Reflect On - How does partial imagery affect brand recall? - When does abstraction become confusing? A Different Perspective May reduce brand clarity or cause misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Billboards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billboards/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Representation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representation/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) ## Related quotes > [“An interesting observation. I must admit I’m a little surprised, though. No girl’s ever complained about it before. You’re the first...” “I didn’t mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-tessi/an-interesting-observation-i-must-admit-i-m-a-little-surprised-though/) [Zoya Tessi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-tessi/) > [It's kind of debatable whether or not the advertisement model is effective. Like whether Nielsen works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/it-s-kind-of-debatable-whether-or-not-the-advertisement-model-is-2/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [It's kind of debatable whether or not the advertisement model is effective. Like whether Nielsen works. For years, Nielsen has been based on sampling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/it-s-kind-of-debatable-whether-or-not-the-advertisement-model-is/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [We live in a society that worships youth. On television, in magazines, in advertisements and on billboards, what sells and what is sold to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-denton/we-live-in-a-society-that-worships-youth-on-television-in-magazines/) [Andrew Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-denton/) > [If you're a conscious rap artist and you're worried about Billboard charts, you're gonna have a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/if-you-re-a-conscious-rap-artist-and-you-re-worried-about-billboard/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [I think that I shall never see A billboard lovely as a tree. Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, I'll never see a tree at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-think-that-i-shall-never-see-a-billboard-lovely-as-a-tree-perhaps/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I definitely consider myself extremely blessed to have great partners in endorsing products. It's not about being on billboards. I endorse something because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/i-definitely-consider-myself-extremely-blessed-to-have-great-partners/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [I was in Shanghai recently, where Twitter is blocked, and yet there were ads and billboards across town with hashtags on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-costolo/i-was-in-shanghai-recently-where-twitter-is-blocked-and-yet-there/) [Dick Costolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-costolo/) > [We are bored in the city, there is no longer any Temple of the Sun. Between the legs of the women walking by, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-chtcheglov/we-are-bored-in-the-city-there-is-no-longer-any-temple-of-the-sun/) [Ivan Chtcheglov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-chtcheglov/) > [When I was the first time for a job in New York, I saw Natalia Vodianova on an oversized billboard in Times Square on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-stone/when-i-was-the-first-time-for-a-job-in-new-york-i-saw-natalia/) [Lara Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-stone/) > [The sterile, arid environment created by truly jarring and discordant signage and gargantuan billboards is a turnoff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-katz/the-sterile-arid-environment-created-by-truly-jarring-and-discordant/) [Jonathan Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-katz/) > [Oh my God..." Xhex's heart stopped as she looked at him in the mirror. Across his upper back, in a glorious spread of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/oh-my-god-xhex-s-heart-stopped-as-she-looked-at-him-in-the-mirror/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [I've come up through art school, through painting, through graphic design, through advertising, through TV commercials and music video. I've designed books, built billboards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kaye/i-ve-come-up-through-art-school-through-painting-through-graphic/) [Tony Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kaye/) > [I've been on a show before where I was on a billboard and then, after like three or four weeks, they took the billboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/i-ve-been-on-a-show-before-where-i-was-on-a-billboard-and-then-after/) [Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/) > [Try Jesus, you won't regret it, a billboard read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-tyler/try-jesus-you-won-t-regret-it-a-billboard-read/) [Anne Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-tyler/) ## More by Douglas Rushkoff > [The first step toward maintaining autonomy in any programmed environment is to be aware that there's programming going on. It's as simple as understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/the-first-step-toward-maintaining-autonomy-in-any-programmed/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Digital media are biased toward replication and storage. Our digital photos practically upload and post themselves on Facebook, and our most deleted e-mails tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digital-media-are-biased-toward-replication-and-storage-our-digital/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [“And spend they did. Money circulated faster and spread wider through its communities of use than at any other time in economic history.8 Workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/and-spend-they-did-money-circulated-faster-and-spread-wider-through/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Occupy Wall Street is meant more as a way of life that spreads through contagion, creates as many questions as it answers, aims to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/occupy-wall-street-is-meant-more-as-a-way-of-life-that-spreads/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Time has always been used against us on a certain level. 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Drone pilots suffer more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digiphrenia-how-technology-lets-us-be-in-more-than-one-place-and-self/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [A currency designed for long-term storage and investment doesn't do so well at encouraging transactions and exchange in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/a-currency-designed-for-long-term-storage-and-investment-doesn-t-do/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Since the 1960s, mainstream media has searched out and co-opted the most authentic things it could find in youth culture, whether that was psychedelic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/since-the-1960s-mainstream-media-has-searched-out-and-co-opted-the/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Children are being adultified because our economy is depending on them to make purchasing decisions. 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It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) Anthony W. Ivins > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. 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