Advertising has over the years transformed to become a necessity in both the corporate and the social sphere. The different forms of advertising that range from TV commercials to billboards and social media ads have got massive critic and reviews on their effect on society. While they are regarded as strategic investments for the businesses, they have been found to promote values that are directly opposed to human well-being, environmental and a fair society. These conflicting views, however, do not refuse the massive strides in innovation and creativity that the sector has amassed over the years.
A section of the society that is in sync with the leaps taken by the advertising industry has stated that it aids in the diversity of choice and culture. Taking culture, for example, the advertisements can include the traits of different individuals in a certain society and merge it together in a commercial that encourages the use of a particular product. Additionally, the advertisements increase the choices available for people, hence bettering the decisions made by them. It does this by informing the public of the available alternatives that would normally not be visible. More so, values in the society change after information derived from the commercials is consumed by the public. For example, men in the 20th Century were not allowed to use cosmetics for the various parts of the body. But, certain firms used commercials and billboards to ensure that the public endorsed the practice.
Some people accept as true that advertising has eroded the very nature of happiness. When advertisements are showcased in the media and social media platforms, the materialistic traits of happiness is portrayed more often than not. An Early critic by says that advertising has receded individuals to being irrational consumers by stereotyping and manipulating the ideas of real-life situations. Advertising images have been proved to create cold-heartedness.According to the report, when individuals are exposed to an advertisement that bears cold imagery and physical coldness, they tend to form traits that show the exposure.
The balance of the economic perspective of individuals is being tipped by the effect of advertising they are exposed to. According to , higher levels of commercials make people save less, borrow more, buy more and work longer. Additionally, an advertisement has been studied and found that it validates the pursuit of status, sexual prowess, individualism and financial success. When such extrinsic motivations are present in the society, the tendency of people to care for others diminishes which reflects both to the natural environment. Adding to this, people who have formed such traits of personal edification are less happy and have higher risks of having a mental illness.
The culture of the diverse societies present has significantly changed due to the effect of advertising. The growing trend of advertising via social media platforms such as Facebook has increasingly become popular. These online forms have been able to traverse a lot of people, hence the continual dispersal of knowledge. However, with numerous advantages, there also exist some risks. Since the internet is rarely regulated for the small children, they get exposed to commercials that are not appropriate for their ages. So the increasingly adverse effects of advertising continue growing to the incoming generation, creating an environment of selfishness and greed.
In conclusion, advertising has had changes in the recent past that have posted both positive and adverse effects. In as much as it is paramount to advertise on the world today, it is important to ensure that it promotes ethical values to both young and old.
References
Alexander, J. (2011, November 25). Advertising itself is not evil, but it has certainly got out of control. Retrieved from The Guardian: <https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/advertising-not-evil-values>
Choi, J., Priyamvadha, & Singh, S. N. (2016). Do Cold Images Cause Cold-Heartedness? The Impact of Visual Stimuli on the Effectiveness of Negative Emotional Charity Appeals. Journal of Advertising, 417-426.
Pollay, R. (1986). The Distorted Mirror: Reflection on the Unintended Consequences on Advertising. Journal of Marketing, 18-36.
