Advertising is an extremely lucrative business that is worth billions of dollars across the world. Advertisements are everywhere in all forms of media, such as on the Internet, in paper print and on the television and radio. In fact, the amount of advertising has exploded over the past two decades where studies have shown that on average, consumers are exposed to a staggering 3000 advertisements a day. Online advertising alone is believed to be worth $24 billions. So what is wrong with advertisements? Why are they harmful? Whilst most agree that advertisements help business to sell their products and inform consumers about new products, many believe that advertisements have negative influences on people. In this essay, I shall explore how advertisements create harmful effects in people's health, finances and self-image.
Firstly, the profiteering nature of advertisements causes health to deteriorate. The fast-food advertisements that abound everywhere are good examples to illustrate the point. Everyday, in Singapore, consumers are invaded by many MacDonald advertisements. Such advertisements tempt us to feast on more junk food. It is a well-known fact that fast food is detrimental to health because of its high fat content and the lack of proper nutrition. Still, people flood to the MacDonald restaurants whenever there is an ad that introduces some attractive $2 value discounts or a new burger flavour. This contributes to the increase in the obesity index. Hence, with such fast-food advertisements, people's health would definitely continue to spiral downward.
Secondly, advertisements hurt people's pockets considerably. Advertisements have the ability to transform every want into a need. Many consumers love to buy products of limited editions. It is not uncommon to hear people say, “I really need to get the new limited Louis Vuitton handbag.” Even children want the latest Lego Ninjago figurines. It was reported that in December 2009. the credit card debt hit an estimated $3.4 billion which was the highest in that month for the past 20 years. As a result, many enter into an exorbitantly-high bloodsucking credit card debts. As interest rates of credit cards can go up to 24% per annum, they become trapped in a cycle of overspending and under repaying. As a result, the debts balloon to gargantuan amounts. Sadly, many, even teens, end up becoming bankrupt.
Thirdly, advertisements cause many to have a poor self-image of themselves. They set the standard of the ideal image. Due to the advertisements, the common aspiration of women now is to have a slim and shapely figure, to be young and beautiful as well as to have a great fashion sense. Not only is this idealized image not attainable for most, it also results in poor self-image. Women resort to plastic surgeries, botox, slimming pills and what-nots to stay attractive. For example, glossy photographs of super-thin models in magazines subtly persuade women to go for liposuctions, slimming pills or even starve to be stick-thin but not many can attain the body of Kate Moss. This gives rise to the increase in anorexia in young girls. Such successful marketing strategies have given rise to a need to embody such beauty and yet, the irony of not being able to attain it at all. Consumers suffer low self-esteem as a result.
In conclusion, people consume unnecessary products due to these advertisements and the irony of it is that they become less healthy, poorer and less happy about themselves. Without a doubt, the negative influences of advertisements abound. Perhaps, consumers should learn how to be more discerning and not be seduced into the addiction of buying more and more. Instead of slogging hard to buy what we do not need, we should think twice and learn contentment and choose not be trapped by these evil claws of advertisement anymore.
Secondly, advertisements hurt people's pockets considerably. Advertisements have the ability to transform every want into a need. Many consumers love to buy products of limited editions. It is not uncommon to hear people say, “I really need to get the new limited Louis Vuitton handbag.” Even children want the latest Lego Ninjago figurines. It was reported that in December 2009. the credit card debt hit an estimated $3.4 billion which was the highest in that month for the past 20 years. As a result, many enter into an exorbitantly-high bloodsucking credit card debts. As interest rates of credit cards can go up to 24% per annum, they become trapped in a cycle of overspending and under repaying. As a result, the debts balloon to gargantuan amounts. Sadly, many, even teens, end up becoming bankrupt.
Thirdly, advertisements cause many to have a poor self-image of themselves. They set the standard of the ideal image. Due to the advertisements, the common aspiration of women now is to have a slim and shapely figure, to be young and beautiful as well as to have a great fashion sense. Not only is this idealized image not attainable for most, it also results in poor self-image. Women resort to plastic surgeries, botox, slimming pills and what-nots to stay attractive. For example, glossy photographs of super-thin models in magazines subtly persuade women to go for liposuctions, slimming pills or even starve to be stick-thin but not many can attain the body of Kate Moss. This gives rise to the increase in anorexia in young girls. Such successful marketing strategies have given rise to a need to embody such beauty and yet, the irony of not being able to attain it at all. Consumers suffer low self-esteem as a result.
In conclusion, people consume unnecessary products due to these advertisements and the irony of it is that they become less healthy, poorer and less happy about themselves. Without a doubt, the negative influences of advertisements abound. Perhaps, consumers should learn how to be more discerning and not be seduced into the addiction of buying more and more. Instead of slogging hard to buy what we do not need, we should think twice and learn contentment and choose not be trapped by these evil claws of advertisement anymore.
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