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/ˈæd.mæs/
🇺🇸
/ˈæd.mæs/
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/ˈædmæs/
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/ˈædmæs/
Plural
admasses
Admass is a portmanteau of 'advertising' and 'mass', coined by sociologist David Riesman in the 1950s to describe how advertising and mass media shape standardized, conformist consumer behavior and cultural tastes across large populations — turning individuals into predictable, homogeneous 'masses' rather than autonomous thinkers.
Riesman warned that admass erodes authentic individuality by replacing genuine choice with manufactured desire.
The rise of social media influencers has been criticized as a new phase of admass, where personal branding mimics corporate advertising logic.
Admass culture prioritizes trendiness and instant recognition over depth, craftsmanship, or critical reflection.
Unlike folk culture, which evolves organically, admass is centrally produced, commercially driven, and widely distributed.
ad
Comes from the Latin preposition 'ad', meaning 'to' or 'toward'. It conveys direction, approach, or addition. Examples include advertise, adjoin, adopt, adapt, address.
mass
Comes from the Latin 'massa' (via Old French 'masse'), originally from Greek 'maza' meaning 'lump' or 'kneaded dough'; in English, it evolved to denote a large, undifferentiated whole — especially of people or matter. Examples include massive, massify, mass production, mass media, masterpiece (by semantic extension).