This paper provides scripting of whether advertising is essentially a negative influence on society as it focuses on selling products without consideration of consequences. The scripting is a discussion between two people regarding the issue i.e. myself and imaginary opponent. Generally, the debate is based on evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of advertising on society.
Advertising is Essentially a Negative Influence on Society:
Generally, advertising has been part of economies across the globe since the commencement of trade as merchants have primarily sorted out the benefits of their goods in the marketplace. Some of the most common advertising means that were present in ancient advertisement include shop signs and broadsides in posts, walls, or trees. Since then advertising has continued to grow and develop to an extent that styles and objectives of advertising have been transformed significantly. However, despite operating successfully for many years, the prevailing stance regarding advertising in academic circles is that it's harmful to the society (Hayko, 2010, p.79). In essence, advertising is essentially a negative influence on society due to its efforts to sell products without regards to consequences. Some insiders in the advertising business have even admitted to the evils that are brought by advertising means. These concerns have contributed to questions on whether advertising is simply a communication channel between seller and consumer. Actually, the positive effect of advertising is the sales generated as a result of the process while the negative effects of the process are experienced by those targeted by advertising.
Debate:
Speaker A: The numerous events and incidents in the recent past in the advertising industry have led to criticism of advertising simply because the process does not give adequate considerations to ethical issues and concerns. One of the reasons why advertising is essentially a negative influence on society is that it manipulates people to buy products they don't need by playing with their emotions. This is mainly because advertising involves the use of powerful persuasive techniques that consumers find hard to defend themselves against. The manipulation even occurs when the products do not live up to the promised benefits, which causes public criticism.
Speaker B: The argument that advertising essentially has a negative effect on society because it leads to manipulation of the consumers is basically wrong. In essence, advertising cannot make people to buy products they don't need and does not really toy with people's emotions. The argument that people make their purchase decisions based on emotions stimulated by advertising is to demonstrate little respect for consumers' ability to make decisions and their common sense (O'sullivan, n.d.).
Secondly, the inability of products to fulfill their promised benefits is not an issue of advertising but a problem of manufacturing. Advertisers are not more concerned with the benefits of the product but focus more on generating huge sales. Therefore, companies should know that advertising products put their brands and reputations online rather than damaging advertising. This implies that the influence of advertising has been exaggerated since people do not pay much attention and focus to the process.
Speaker A: I disagree. Advertising creates artificial needs as evident in the fact that there is too much advertising. Actually, advertising pops up everywhere in the modern business world, in today's communication, and in nearly every space in the society. As a result, it attracts attention and contributes to changes in attitudes, which in turn influences modern culture. As advertising continues to dominate the society, it has heightened materialism, replaced inner happiness, and intrinsic motivation. The negative influence of advertising on the society is attributed to its drive to only make people purchase and consume happiness. In essence, advertising has reduced people to the role of irrational consumer by manipulating and stereotyping real life situations.
Speaker B: Hmmmm & #8230;. you are totally wrong! Advertising does not create artificial needs since consumers will not buy a product if they have no need for it. Moreover, advertising only helps consumers to decide brands to buy based on the need they already have for the product. Therefore, through creating advertisements, marketers seek to satisfy already existing needs and wants instead of creating the needs. Notably, the huge presence of advertising in the modern society is brought by demands for a high level of mass distribution of goods in the dominant economic system. The volume of advertisements will continue to be high in today's economic system because mass distribution of products sustains the free enterprise system.
Speaker A: But, what about the fact that advertising creates false images? It seems to communicate that men should be handsome, athletic, virile, thoughtful fathers, and tall at all times. On the contrary, it implies that women should be skinny, beautiful, and with full-time jobs in addition to being full-time mothers. While some of these characteristics are reasonable, they tend to be usually unrealistic and unachievable. The advertising industry has continued to disgracefully objectify and sexualize women while using them as productivity tools (Romo, 2012).
Speaker B: I agree that advertising has sometimes portrayed false images of men and women. However, these images are not the creation of advertisements but are generally influenced by the media, especially television programs and movies. Advertising has primarily capitalized on the existing and vastly growing body-image issues in society. Many people in society are experiencing huge pressures to fit an ideal image established by culture and the media, with or without advertisements.
Speaker A: What about the fact that advertising has played a crucial role in developing and spreading many social ills? For instance, advertising is partly to blame for luring people into eating disorders accompanied with significant health consequences and implications. Companies have continued to hire advertising firms to promote and sell low-nutrient foods. In addition, fraudsters have used advertising to lure people to purchase worthless products and services.
Speaker B: Really? What about the numerous advantages and benefits of advertising to the society and the economy? What about its provision of a framework for transmitting information regarding health and social issues for products? What about the fact that it promotes the development of new and improved products, stimulating competition, providing a wider choice, and encouraging decreased prices?
Speaker A: As much as some of the things you have stated are correct, advertising essentially has a negative influence on society because it's offensive. It must generally be acknowledged that many people in the society find advertising to be in bad taste and ineffective. Actually, advertisers and marketers recognize that the general public finds advertisements distasteful and attempt to avoid it. Advertising has an offensive nature because it offends in attempts to attract people's attention.
You’re 82% through this paper. Sign up to read the full paper.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.