Term Papers on Critique On Advertising In Our Society

Term Paper Title	Critique On Advertising In Our Society
# of Words	959
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	3.84

Critique On Advertising In Our Society

A critique on the impact of advertising in our society.  Consider visuals and
verbal or written language.  (1000 words)

The impact of advertising on our society is a fiercely debated topic, and has
been ever since the conception of advertising in its most basic form.  There are
negative and positive social and economic impacts upon society from advertising
in its various forms.  For instance, advertising promoting public welfare has a
positive social impact upon society, whereas advertising portraying women as sex
objects has negative social impacts.  There are also positive economic impacts
on society such as providing funding for the media and stimulating an active,
competitive economy.

There are a number of proven ways to persuade the consumer that he or she needs
the product being advertised.  These methods of persuasion, instead of
concentrating on the actual product, usually concentrate on the benefits that
will be brought to the consumer.  These benefits may include the hope of more
money and better jobs, popularity and personal prestige, praise from others,
more comfort, social advancement, improved appearance, or better health.  For
example, an automobile advertisement, as well as mentioning the mechanical
attributes of the car, would most likely focus on the excitement, prestige and
social advancement it may bring the buyer.  This social advancement is very
often sexual, or involving attraction of the other sex– so the car advertisement
may also mention the glamorous women/men that the consumer will attract with
his/her fancy car.

Advertising has been blamed for a great variety of negative social impacts.  One
of the major criticisms received by advertising is that it forces people to buy
things they don't really need, often by projecting negative emotions such as
fear, anxiety or guilt upon the consumer.  It is claimed that advertising plays
with our basic human emotions and takes advantage of them, using them as merely
another technique to sell goods or services.  Advertising also encourages people
to buy products by making them think that purchasing and consuming are the major
activities of their lives.  It is said to also evoke fears of inferiority upon
the consumer by depicting the ‘normal' person as young, attractive, wealthy and
successful.  This may encourage a person to act on his or her desire for success
and, for instance, go out and purchase that particular brand of make-up or
deodorant hoping to emulate the seeming success of the person depicted in the
advertisement.

In opposition, advertisers state that the public is intelligent enough to, and
quite capable of, making up its own mind and will definitely not buy anything
they don't want or need.  People are not inclined to be swayed by false claims
that they need a particular product, and will usually be very discriminating in
what they take as being true, when it comes to advertising.  In fact,
advertisers would say that there are many positive social impacts on our society
from advertising.  Advertising can be used to increase awareness in society
about particular issues, and in so doing, becomes a form of education.  Anti
drug advertising such as "It's OK to say NO", and drink driving ...

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