The Negative Effects of Advertising on Society

Money. Our economy, our nation, our life thrives on this lifeless, tangible, paper. It’s clear that in an advertiser’s eyes money is crucial. After all, the purpose of advertising a product is to sell it, ultimately bringing in the big bucks for companies and their advertisers. Superficially, this may seem reasonable, but advertisements are actually detrimental to society, its health, and its well-being.

Because it’s their job, advertisers do a flawless job at targeting and convincing society to buy products. Even though the silly ads shown on TV may seem ineffective, it’s proven that “a person unaware of advertising’s claim on him is precisely the one most vulnerable to the ad’s attack” (Schrank). Through, what may seem like useless advertisements, companies successfully dictate society and control them to buy their product without the consumer even realizing it! This is harmful to an individual exposed to the advertisements, as they lose control of their life in the economic and consumer world. It’s almost as though advertisements hypnotize society. Described in Source D, once a company has hooked consumers (teenage consumers specifically), they or “she may be yours for life.” (Day). This presents the issue of advertisements imposing damaging effects to one’s well being. Control of one’s life is now in the hands of an advertiser and societal perceptions, so the helpless teen can only just follow and slowly degrade one’s sense of self without even noticing its effect.

A portion of the population may argue, probably advertisers greedy for money in specific, that advertisements are helpful tools in educating the public on the important products needed in everyday life. However, Sesana uses a humorous approach to identify advertising as unnecessary when stating that vital products aren’t even advertised! “Nobody spends huge sums advertising flour. People will buy it even without it being advertised.” (Source F). Not only are advertisements harmful, they aren’t even needed! Society can live without flashy cars and cigarettes, so why target the population so diligently if those products aren’t even necessary in living a prosperous life? Since advertisements render useless, they waste society’s time and energy that could be better spent improving the world opposed to benefiting a ravenous company.

An eminent issue the act of advertising instigates is the possible vulnerability of one’s health. Companies choose to advertise products that are dangerous to one’s health, blinded by the income they desire to obtain. Based on Source B, cigarettes, even though dangerous to one’s health, still prosper in the market.