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advertisement and social values

The Social Impact of Advertising can be summed up as one that has significant impact on a given society. Advertising can have wide-ranging repercussions on a society. Some critics suggest that advertising promotes a materialistic way of life by leading people to believe that happiness is achieved by purchasing products. They argue that advertising creates a consumer culture in which buying exciting new products becomes the foundation of the society’s values, pleasures, and goals.

Advertising is an important social phenomenon. It both stimulates consumption, economic activity models, life-styles and a certain value orientation. Consumers are confronted with substantial daily doses of advertising in multiple media. With the perpetual bombardment of marketing media, it is presumable that it will affect our individualism and society as a whole. This is an analytical approach to advertising's effects on the society.
Consumer minds' can be changed, opinions molded. Attitudes towards a brand are not set in stone after one commercial or even one purchase. Indeed, shaping attitudes often takes a considerable amount of time.

The impact of television on young children has received much attention. Research suggests that children see television advertising as just another form of programming and react uncritically to its messages, which makes them especially vulnerable to advertising. There is also concern about the way in which adolescent girls respond to advertising that features beautiful, thin models. Research indicates that many adolescent girls are unduly influenced by this standard of beauty, become dissatisfied with their own bodies, and may develop eating disorders in pursuit of a thin figure. New research suggests that adolescent boys are also being influenced by advertising images of bulked-up, buffed bodies. As a result, many become dissatisfied with their own body image, devote large amounts of time to weightlifting, and may even take drugs that have harmful side effects in order to develop more muscle. Those over the age of 60 are thought to be less influenced by advertising, but some elderly people no longer process messages as easily as younger people, making them more susceptible to questionable advertising claims. The Social Impact of Advertising can shape the way and manner a particular society reacts to certain product and services.

Advertisers may affect media programming in other ways, too, critics charge. For example, companies that sponsor TV programs prefer relatively wholesome, noncontroversial programming to avoid offending a mass audience. This preference causes TV networks to emphasize this type of programming. The result is that society may be denied the benefits of being able to view challenging or highly original entertainment programs or news programs on controversial issues. Because advertisers are especially interested in attracting the 18 to 34 year olds who account for most consumers spending, television shows are often developed with this audience in mind. If the ratings show that a program is not attracting large audiences, particularly among 18 to 34 year olds, advertisers often withdraw support, which causes a program to be canceled. As a result, shows that are more likely to interest and to be of value to older audiences are not produced.

On the other hand, all over the world, public service advertising has proven to be an effective way to increase AIDS awareness, promote energy saving, fight domestic violence, or reduce road deaths by encouraging the use of seat belts. Companies too are using advertising to help address societal challenges. They are increasingly conscious that, beyond selling brands and ideas, advertising can be used to show how they can help make a difference.


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