Is advertising good or bad for us?

It is certainly true that advertisings tell us about new products, and we may think that these products might improve our lives in some way. Of course, if you are already looking for something, then advertising can provide you with information which you may find helpful. Also, it can bring your attention to something that you think you would like or find useful, although you were not previously aware of its existence. For example, you may see an advertisement for a new gadget which you think would come in handy in your house. Certainly, the claims made by advertisers are not always borne out by the performance of their products, but that’s another story.

 

Advertising certainly has an effect on most of us. We have all watched TV programs which have been interrupted by an advertisement for some kinds of products. Whether or not we actually give in as a passing fancy, is entirely up to us. Yet, it is true that some people are more susceptible to the effects of advertising than others. Just as some of us are weaker-willed than others. They may be encouraged by tempting, glitzy advertisements into buying things which they do not need and which they often cannot afford.

For instance, the young viewers rush to their parents and ask them for whatever toy has just been viewed. The action of the children are known as pester power. Strong-willed parents resist this pestering, but others give in and buy the toys in order to have some peace and quiet.

There are concerns, too, that the effect of advertising on some people is just as powerful as it is on children. They do not pester other people to buy things for them, but they buy unnecessary things for themselves. They often put their purchases on their credit cards and get further into debt.

We can not blame advertisers for people buying goods that they can’t afford, but we had better be conscious of the great power of advertising. It doesn’t exist just to tell us about new products. Its role is much more seductive than that and we should all be aware of this.