Framing

I think the concept of framing is well demonstrated in the tv commercial from Kia Motors where, throughout the one minute spot, Kia works to associate purchasing one of their vehicles with straight up having a blast. This is a common tool used in advertising where the company infers that if you purchase their product, all aspects of your life will improve, regardless of whether or not the product has any direct influence over things like happiness or relationships. Framing is a media practice that helps enforce hegemony by showing the viewer how to think of an issue and what is associated with that issue. In these two photos you can see how a different setting can help the viewer determine what they think of the subject;

Positive:



Negative:



In this example, the theme, the war in Iraq, can be determined or "framed" by the setting and context. Liberation vs defeat. Assistance vs pain. Life vs death. Both images contain the same subject, but due to framing, the viewers' outlook can be affected.
In the Kia commercial, characters are shown having a great time, all the while using their new Kia vehicle. If someone thinks about what they are actually watching, they will notice that clearly, the car itself did not create their "fun times". Ironically the only scenes which involve the characters having a good time while with the car both have warning subtitles at the bottom, the first being that the jump they did over the hill with the car was done by a professional and you should actually never attempt such a maneuver, and the second scene where one of the character stands up out of the sun roof of the car while the white subtitles warn that you should always have your seat belt on. Regardless of these facts, the overall feel of the commercial leaves you, if only sub-consciously. thinking that buying that Kia might add a little spice to your boring life, thanks to that which is the almighty framing.