How the Marketing World Negatively Affects Consumers Through Advertisement

How the Marketing World Negatively Affects Consumers through Advertisement

Advertising through magazines, newspaper, and television is essential for most companies to get their products out to the public. The companies marketing depend primarily on these types of advertisement to enforce that their products are better or more sufficient than the competitors. Due to the lack of regulation within certain industries and the prevalence of hazardous products, brands were introduced to increase the reputation and value of a particular manufacturer. Much like today, brands were synonymous with certain attributes, like quality and safety, that manufacturers wanted to convey. Despite its many benefits, advertising has been met with an onslaught of debate and criticism. Advertisement, majority of the time, potrays perfection in order to pull consumers in to buying different products that may be harmful.

In an article, Malcolm Gladwell stated, “We can try not to be swayed by advertising and marketing, But no matter what we do, we are all affected by attempts to manipulate our subconscious. Even when we believe we are immune to manipulation, we are not.” (2007). Advertising is accused of encouraging materialism and consumption, of stereotyping, of causing people to purchase items for which people have no need, of taking advantage of children, of manipulating people’s behavior, using sex to sell, and generally contributing to the downfall of our social system. There are many people who may assume that advertising is the most powerful and sustained system of propaganda in human history. Also advertising isn’t about informing consumers but fooling them into believing that consumption of commodities is the only means of attaining true happiness. Advertisements often contain both factual information and persuasive messages. (Wikipedia, 2008)

Advertisement in the Food Industry

Most food companies offer advertisements that show their food looking very tasteful and high quality. When in fact, most of the time the food that is being portrayed is extremely unhealthy for people. Almost all of McDonald’s advertisements are aimed at children. Researchers say that when a child thinks of Ronald they think of hamburgers and French fries. Sam Hirsch alleges that McDonald’s “negligently, recklessly, carelessly and intentionally markets to children food products that are high in fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol while failing to warn of those ingredients' links to obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, evaluated cholesterol intake, related cancers, and other conditions” (2002). Hershey markets candy to children that is chocolaty and also contains other ingredients while also adding peanuts and crisped rice to increase consumer appeal.

Present Day Advertising

The most prominent marketing strategy is to integrate brands into the lives of the consumers. As consumers people are subjected to an overwhelming amount of ads and this amount just keeps increasing. The sheer volume of advertising causes images, slogans, and jingles to be subconsciously imprinted into