TV Commercials
The role of advertising, especially television commercials, in influencing social lifestyles has long been a raging debate between public interests groups, government and industry. Critics believe that advertising imagery, coupled with television programming, preys on susceptible minds. Pro-choicers, on the other hand, point out that freedom of speech and expression constitutes a basic, inviolable constitutional right, and that advertising merely facilitates consumers to exercise choice in their lifestyle decisions. Much of the debate, though supported by research, is based on the rhetoric of ideology. As against this, it is the objective of this paper to establish that advertising has a very fundamental and valuable contribution, in as much that it fuels economic and social progress. For one, advertising stimulates economic growth through creating new desires, thereby increasing the demand for goods and services. Second, advertising allows consumers to make informed purchase decisions. Third, advertising revenue enables affordable, mass access to popular television programming such as news and talk shows, which then leads to information, knowledge and debate on issues of social concern.
Though a simplistic definition of the advertising discipline is " ... A commercial communication from an identified sponsor, which uses various commercial platforms, such as newspapers, radio, TV, billboards, satellite, Internet, to connect with an audience, e.g. customers," the importance of the function is really seen in the role it plays in economic and social development. Advertising stimulates competition among providers of goods and services leading to the development of higher quality products, a better standard of living, increased consumer demand, employment generation, and incremental government revenue through sales tax and more taxable income. Advertising also increases consumer welfare, as it allows buyers to choose the product or service that best meets their needs, based on the information provided. The importance of the advertising industry in economic and social development is further reflected in the fact that advertising revenues are a significant source of finance for media, educational programming, and entertainment. Newspapers, magazines, cable, satellite, broadcast services, and the Internet depend on advertising support to keep their prices affordable (The Liberation of Advertising Services, Nov. 2002).
Though, the benefits of advertising to the economy and society are quite undeniably obvious, the controversies over the arguably negative effects of advertising stems from the way ads are designed to work. While advertising messages are determined by marketing strategies, developed on the basis of consumer needs, social trends, competitor positions, and the brand's own unique position, the effectiveness of an ad depends on its appeal. For an advertisement to succeed in its appeal, it must succeed in drawing attention, empathy, and evoke a set of emotions associated with contemporary views of an ideal human. Thus, consumer insight and empathy are the two essential ingredients of effective advertising: "The conclusion is quite simple. Think of the viewer first. Offer her or him something with which an enhancing emotional connection can be made." (Goldberg, et.al., 1995). Many ads are based on consumer insights, but few succeed in evoking empathy, desire and memorability. Ads that succeed in doing so have what the advertising industry often terms as the 'WOW' and 'POW' (power of wanting) factors. This effect is achieved through various appropriate creative devices such as the theme music to the ad, fun imagery, language, the way people look, and the overall atmosphere; all of which or combinations thereof come together to create a perception in the minds of consumers (Brown, Oct. 2003).
It is the use of perceptions associated with an ideal human, often in contrast with socially derided imagery, which has led to arguments over the negative effects of advertising. Such images, it is felt, manipulate consumers by preying on debilitating emotions such as fear, guilt, anxiety, inferiority, unhappiness, and inadequacy. Thus, critics contend that advertising, which evokes either negative self-perceptions or an excessive desire for an ideal, results in harmful actions such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, or the use of extreme slimming regimes. Given research studies, which have shown, for example, that idealized images of the slim female figure in advertising adversely impacts body dissatisfaction and negative self-perceptions of some women, it must be conceded that the aforesaid arguments are not entirely without validity (Bennett, 2003).
Indeed, one of the ads reviewed for the purposes of discussion in this paper, Mega-T Green Tea, is a likely candidate for advertising criticism, both on grounds of its negative social dimension...
Cable television also opened up the medium to numerous types of television programming that had previously been excluded, simply because it could never have competed with the demand for mainstream types of programs during the same time slot. Initially, cable television was only available in the largest markets like New York and Los Angeles and it was priced out of the range of most consumers. The technology also required a cable
..While older children and adults understand the inherent bias of advertising, younger children do not, and therefore tend to interpret commercial claims and appeals as accurate and truthful information," said psychologist Dale Kunkel, Ph.D., Professor of Communication at the University of California at Santa Barbara and senior author of the task force's scientific report. (Kunkel, et.al, 2004) The Lego ads, when seen by younger children who "do not understand persuasive intent
In fact, the relationship between academic performance and television is not clear cut. Research has shown that children who watch a large amount of television typically do poorly in school, yet those who spend a moderate amount of time in front of the television do better than non-viewers. There is a small negative relationship between television viewing and a child's IQ. However, there are significant subgroup differences. There are
Embedded Communication in Advertising "There is no evidence that advertising can get people to do things contrary to their self-interest." -- JIB Fowles, in Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals "Good advertising does not just circulate information. It penetrates the public mind with desires and belief." -- Leo Burnett, Advertising Executive and Creator of the Marlboro Man "The ability to attract new smokers and develop them into a young adult franchise is key to brand
The same can also be said of corporate organisation that has in their possession accumulated research capacity which enables it to deliver unique products and services from its competitors. 1.2.7 To increase market share. Advertising can also be used to increase the market share of an organisation resulting from the acceptance of the products but the consumer and subsequent recognition of the brand. 1.3 FUNCTIONS OF ADVERTISEMENT Advertising as a promotional mix element
Black Women on Early Television African-American portrayals on television have been based on negative stereotypes that do not objectively or accurately portray reality... These stereotypes include, but are not limited to, the portrayal of African-Americans as inferior, lazy, dumb, dishonest, comical, unethical, and crooked (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1977). Dates (1990) was able to add to this list: insolent, bestial, brutish, power-hungry, money hungry and ignorant." (Rada) The image of Black
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