But Wait, There’s More! In today’s society, advertisements’ once helpful purpose has regressed into an egotistical and psychologically manipulative mistreatment made solely for profit.
The alleged justification of advertisements’ constant appearance in our lives is that advertisements, somehow, inform the public. However, there is a large gap between informing and exploiting that the majority of those hearing or watching these advertisements overlook. During the 20th century, advertisers replaced morality for profit by dismissing the detrimental effects of cigarettes “despite an expanding awareness of health risks and increasing advertising restrictions.” (Source B) Exceeding past the cigarette industry, it is not uncommon for advertisements to target a broad, generalized group of people in the attempt to create a sense of dissatisfaction that only a product could satisfy, whether it be a Marlboro or otherwise. To do so, advertisers must omit the gritty bits of their product and, instead, implode it with marketing strategies and persuasive procedures that disillusion the public from the harm they are placing themselves in. Using classic
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However, much like speech, the way an idea is taken results from how it is projected and, later, will alter our perspective of the world. Advertisements have become increasingly prone to reinforcing stereotypes, thus resulting in an altered, close-minded outlook for the public. As studies have proven, the brand one buys today will affect one’s future purchases as, proven in a study conducted by Seventeen, 29% of adult women will buy the same brand of coffee preferred as teenagers. (Source D) Not only does this reinforce the concept that one’s perception is heavily influenced by what one sees and hears, but it also confirms that if an advertisement projects a certain idea, whether constructive or not, the idea will remain with someone for the duration of their