The Positive Influences of Advertising

Food and drink, cars, alcohol, cigarettes — “the average American is exposed to some 500 ads daily” (Fowles 540). How do advertisers influence people to purchase products? According to Jib Fowles in “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals”, people are attracted to what they see, “many ads seem to be saying, ‘If you this need, then this product will help satisfy it’” (541). People convincingly buy products because they believe what the ad is illustrating. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen’s portfolio consists of ads that demonstrate various motives (556-594). Based on Fowles’ article, although advertising has some negative aspects, advertising influences people positively by fulfilling the needs to nurture, achieve, and for affiliation.

Advertising influences people negatively; it convinces people to purchase unneeded or unhealthy products. People often waste money on items because they tend to not notice the negative aspects of an item. A nice car, such as the 1954 Cadillac ad, is not a required product to have (Behrens and Rosen 580-581). When I saw various celebrities in proactive commercials, I believed how effective proactive was and decided to buy the product. I did not have great results from proactive; in fact, I experienced improved results with Aveeno’s Ultra-Calming Facial Cleanser. Although this product was three times cheaper than Proactive, I was influenced to purchase Proactive because of the ad’s use of celebrities. Products such as cigarettes, influence people negatively because they are harmful to one’s health. As stated in a Camel cigarette ad, cigarettes are clearly dangerous to one’s health, “Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health” (Behrens and Rosen 569...

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...you buy Coca-Cola, you will be happy. Whether it be friendship or romance, people desire connections with others in which some advertisements help this need.

Advertisements influence people more positively than negatively by helping satisfy one’s needs. They help us accomplish one’s motives; the needs to nurture, achieve, and affiliate. To avoid advertisements from negatively convincing us, we need to appear cautious about a product. We need to be aware of the pros and cons of a product, look at product reviews, and understand the importance of an item when purchasing one.

Works Cited

Behrens, Laurence and Leonard J. Rosen, eds. Writing and Reading across the Curriculum. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2011. 566-594. Print.

Fowles, Jib. “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals.” Writing and Reading across the Curriculum. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2011. 536-556 Print.