Advertising: Information or Manipulation

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Recommended: The effect of advertising on consumer behavior

Advertising is everywhere. Driving to work, you observe the flawless faces of celebrities pasted to the back of a bus. In the office, you notice that the right-hand side of your computer screen is telling you to “save money” and “live better”. Finally, when you get home, you relax and turn on the television only to discover which popstar is using the newest acne-clearing solution because “it really works”. It is undeniable that advertising has a major impact on American society. It feeds capitalism and powers the cycle of material ownership and financial benefit; however, in doing so, consumers are manipulated by unethical tactics and filled with unnecessary desire.
When is comes to advertising, there is a thin line between information and manipulation. Although companies spend a great deal of money and effort enlightening the world on the existence of a new product that could potentially improve the lives of their consumers, the messages behind these advertisements “can make us unsatisfied with who we are and greedy for what we don’t have” (source D). Faulty advertisements that i...

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