Advertising: Information or Manipulation?

Advertising: Information or Manipulation?

Advertisements are located everywhere. No one can go anywhere without seeing at least one advertisement. These ads, as they are called, are an essential part of every type of media. They are placed in television, radio, magazines, and can even be seen on billboards by the roadside. What would you say is the goal of commercial advertising? Most people would agree that advertising provides the consumer with information about a product, but is that all advertising accomplishes? No.

Advertising is used to masterfully engage the mind of the consumer to motivate him or her to buy the advertised product. Advertising is about more than just selling products, but about branding. Branding refers to the process of impressing a company name or a product name onto society’s collective brain. Advertisements are not essentially negative in nature but they have turned to be a major manipulator of the consumer and buyers perceptions. However, with the growth of the media, people are on daily basis being bombarded by hundreds of messages that seem to appeal to their normal everyday lifestyle. As a matter of fact the advertisements will touch on major key areas such as transport services, health, clothes, vehicles, creams, soaps as well as drinks.

The advertiser does not necessarily expect you to do anything “today” — the advertiser simply wants to impress itself on your consciousness. Catchy Slogans. Do these slogans call to mind their product: “I’m loving it”, “Open Happiness”, “There is no substitute” and “Just do it!”? These slogans appeal to our emotions and pride, they can make us feel like we need to use this particular product or drive that particular car when something of lesser value will suffice.

In addition to this, testimonials are skilfully used by the brands. Often celebrities or sport stars are used to recommend a product advertisers want us to buy, as if somehow we will become like that person - The power of...