Although advertising is accused of influencing consumers to buy things they do not need, they have the choice to buy. It is up to the consumer to make wise choices and develop shopping skills that are intelligent.

The Effects Of Advertising On Teens

People see advertisements all around the globe that attempt to lure consumers to buy products. Advertisements are placed in newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards everywhere.Advertising is giving the general public information about new goods and trying to increase overall sales. It is supposed to be a significant way of getting the point across about a product and create motivation for people to buy. A well-known advertising strategy is making consumers feel insecure and creating fears that can be overcome by buying. Advertising reveals the latest fashionsand the new popular novelties on the market. It exhibits perfect individuals wearing the new styles and looking good. Consumers observe this perfection and envy it. Therefore, they go out and buy in hopes of reaching perfection. Furthermore, being an accepted member of society has become very important to most individuals. For instance, the presence of body odor on individuals makes them an outcast in society. Advertisers use this knowledge to their advantage by developing ads that show a person using deodorant and being recognized as popular. Fear also works into the whole advertising process. Due to the fear by consumers that they will not fit in, they pay close attention to the new ads for the new looks, which gives advertisers more drive to make their ads portray the ideal person. Advertisers also insure that ads are simply informational, but many disagree and believe that they are definitely persuasive. According to Douglas Kellner, a professor of philosophy, as early as the 1920s, advertising critics argue that ads began to persuade Americans, due to the new invention of the assembly lines and the concept of corporations, that buying material The effects of 4 goods was the thing to do. They tried convincing people that spending hard-earned dollars on items that could be hand-made was the new accepted behavior that would enhance their lives.

Likewise, critics of the advertising industry argue that it connects products with preferred emotions, such as happiness and popularity. For example, beer commercials often show a man after a hard day's work enjoying an ice-cold beer to relax him. They also argue that ads give people the impression that products can give them talent. Take athletics, for example. Nike ads are accused of implying that their shoes will give a consumer athletic ability. They want to show individuality by their clothes and possessions, yet fit in with their peers. Their optimism comes from the good rate of job placement after college, the good position of the nation's economy, and the very low unemployment rates. Teenagers can basically strive for any career with a good chance of being successful. They like to feel good about themselves, so they buy new materials to produce that feeling. Teens are continuously purchasing new items to keeps up with the changing trends. Therefore,

advertisers use their view of teens to create ads. With this in mind, advertisers devise specific ads, using a variety of tactics, to appeal to these changing teens. Although marketers each have their own unique techniques, they all use original, flashy, and funny ads to reach the teenage audience. They make posters with college age students that create a fun and happy image.. Despite the many opinions thatadvertising is manipulative, a waste of money that could go towards other issues, and a bad influence on human beings, there is no true way of proving it has a bad effect on people. It is simply intended to reveal the benefits of products that consumers want. It is vital to many businesses, as some would be unable to survive without a way of making their products known. Althoughadvertising is accused of influencing consumers to buy things they do not need, they have the choice to buy. It is up to the consumerto make wise choices and develop shopping skills that are intelligent.

Costly FunctionsThe strong objection and arguments against the advertising is that it is a costly function. It is generally criticized that the cost of advertising to too high and that such high cost is covered by the selling price of the advertising goods. Advertisement is considered as an indirect cost which is added in the distribution expenses. When expenses are to be increased, the selling price of the products will also be enhanced. It is true factor because large advertisers spend thousand of Rupees for advertising in a week. In one study it is found that advertising cost exceeded 6% of sales. It means that consumers will have to pay higher prices of the advertised products. But if the goods were not advertised the cost of advertisement cannot become burden on the consumer. Thus the unbalanced advertising may cause certain goods to cost the consumers more than they should. So it is regarded as an economic waste.

Misleading claimsSome advertisers cleverly create a misleading impressions of their goods. They present a very rosy picture of their products, before the consumers with the object of increasing their sales.

Encourage monopolyAdvertisement restricts the competition among the products. Big industrialists and manufacturers may exercise their monopolistic control over the market with the help of advertisement technique which is always against the public interest.

High pricesIt is undoubtedly true that effective advertising increase the sales volume. This increased sale will require more products. Thus the large scale production brings down the cost of goods per unit due to economies in various sectors which reduces the consumes selling prices. But the producers do not lower the prices and the burden of advertising remains on the shoulders of consumers.

Disconnection of businessSmall firms cannot properly advertise their products due to limited resources. But on the other side entire market is controlled over by great advertisers. It becomes impossible for small firms to continue their business in the business field so small firms disappear form the market.

Influences purchasing powerAdvertising goods are generally available in the market at high prices which influence the purchasing power of the consumers. So some people use foul means to increase their income

for the purpose of meeting their necessities of life. Thus unnecessary advertising creates the corruption in the society.

Misuse of advertisingSome beautiful switch lights hoardings, posters and moving pictures are fixed generally in front of some important road for places which have been harmed by the misuse of advertising. Glaring red neon lights have actually been hazards at certain cross roads.

Creating unrequited desireAnother objection is that advertising influences the mind of public. It creates the desire and taste for new products which are not actually necessities of life and income of consumers will not let them enjoy. Advertising may thus be regarded as the cause of unrequited desire which may result in unhappiness.

Promotion of social evilSome firms present immoral program and features and crime stories in Television and Radio for advertising their products which have a very bad influence upon new generation. So advertising results in creating social evils in the society and wasting of economy.

Buying problemsThere are numerous similar types of products which are advertised in the market. But producers lay great emphasis on minor differences in the formula or technique of advertised goods. For example there are many brands of advertised Shaving Creams which perform the same function. But is has become impossible for the average buyer to judge with any certainly the quality of the hundreds of articles he buys.

Miscellaneous objection(a) Inferior quality of goods are introduced in the market to deceive the consumers.

(b) The new firm having limited resources cannot compete with a already established big firms, with the help of advertising.

(c) A large firm can divert demand from one product to another with the help of advertisement.

(d) Consumer's choice is greatly injured by the advertisement.

(e) As advertising is a comparatively new art so certain media of advertisement is ineffective and inefficient than it could be.

Type Demerits1

Demerits of Advertising (Objections)

Various objections against it may be listed as follows:

1. Economic Objections

a) Advertising is not productive. It is true that it does not produce

any tangible goods. It is said to involve wasteful expenditure.

b) It forces people to desire and buy goods, which, in fact, are not

within their means.

c) It increases the cost of goods. Advertising charges are included

in the price, which the consumer has to pay.

d) Advertising results in monopoly. The consumer becomes a slave

to a particular brand.

2. Social Objections

a) Most of the advertisements contain tall claims and the consumers

do not enjoy the benefits advertisement in full. They are shortlived

only.

b) The press is influenced by the advertisers because they provide

major revenue for the existence of newspapers.

3. Ethical Objections

a) Advertising appeals make people to use such articles, which

may affect their health. For example alcoholic drinks and

cigarettes.

b) People with less purchasing power cannot afford to buy articles

even though advertisements create a strong need in them. Thus

a section of society remains discontented.

Whatever may be said against advertising, it is increasingly

used almost in every branch of business to promote sales. It is not merely

a means of sales promotion but today it has become a science equivalent

to any other social science.

Type Demerits 2

These are the disadvantages of advertising: Increases the cost: It increases the cost of goods. The cost of the advertisement is included in the price and is ultimately borne by the customers. Misleads the public: It misleads the public by giving false statements about the product. (It may be true in some cases but majority of advertisers know the value of honest statements.) Creates a dissatisfaction: It creates tastes and desires for some people whose income may not allow them to buy. Such people feel dissatisfied. Creates a monopoly: It increases monopolistic trend. Due to advertisement some manufacturers create monopoly in industry and thus reduce healthy competition. It becomes difficult for new firms to enter the field. Creates the confusion: It creates the possibility of wrong purchases. Being impressed by the advertisement, in some cases, a person is not able to purchase the commodity, which he actually wants to purchase. Encourages luxury: This encourages luxury. Mostly the commodities related to comforts and luxuries are advertised, for example, cigarettes, cosmetic goods and etc. due to advertisement of cigarettes several persons start smoking cigarettes, which becomes habit. Reduces cleanliness: It reduces cleanliness. Large number of posters and writings on the walls are used for advertisement. This makes the roads and the walls of the houses look dirty. Thus, it reduces the natural beauty. Causes wastage: It is a cause of wastage of natural resources. As a results of advertisement, style and

fashion change quickly. It makes the goods out of fashion.Cost.

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