Advertisements play an important role in today's business world. Different companies often use print media, television, and radio commercials to promote their goods. Advertisements in print media can be seen all over the place. We are exposed to them directly as we read newspapers or magazines; we see them on advertisements and even small posters around town. The majority of corporations use print media ads for advertising their goods, which has proved to be inevitable. According to the American Marketing Association, advertising is the payment for a sponsor's non-personal presentation of a particular idea or product. Companies, therefore, do not mind incurring significant costs to set up marketing procedures for their products. The need to analyze these ads to find the meaning has been a focus of researchers in the field of advertisement and the broader marketing.
Companies carry out advertisements for a couple of reasons that include boosting sales and introduction of a new product into the market. Some advertisers have moved s step further by using women in their advertisements. Companies whose products are mostly used by men will most likely use women models to lure potential male buyers (Goffman 60). Women emerge as the primary stakeholders since they are used because of their physical qualities. Jean Kilbourne is an international accredited activist and speaker who is recognized for her activism against using women negatively in advertisements. In her work Kilbourne categorically states that images affect everyone. Her contribution to the ad has led to most people terming her as a feminist. She examines the relationship between advertising and several public issues like addiction, violence and other social disorders. An alcohol company will use teenage girls taking alcohol with an aim to persuade fellow teenagers to engage. When younger people start using drugs, they are the most likely to abuse drugs when they grow further (Kilbourne 29). Teenagers are subjected to early abuse and violent environment. They are therefore exposed to toxic environmental conditions in the long run.
A company would be willing to a small amount to one individual to advertise their product, and in return, he/she will refer the product to their friends for free. If you find your subject by their ears, their hearts and mind will follow (Kilbourne 33). The urge to keep up financially has forced the younger generation to indulge in immoral activities such as drug addiction, political prostitution, and alcoholism. Aside from making mindless buyers, advertising additionally risks impacting values (sexual orientation esteems, male-female interactions, quality of family ties, strengthening stereotypes), purchasing patterns and ways of life. The multiculturalism witnessed in advertising field is therefore not about social justice but money (Kilbourne 38). Ethics in Advertising is straightforwardly identified with the motivation behind promoting and the idea of advertising. At times exaggeration of the advert winds up plainly essential to demonstrate the importance of the product (Goffman 20)
The issue of social morals has been of great concern as big companies use half-naked ladies to advertise products that are not even related to example Coca-cola uses young ladies in their beachwear to promote one of their drinks. Since it is hot, the lady in her beach clothes would grab and drink a bottle. The image might not be family appeasing, but it captures the attention of more male and also female buyers. (Belkaoui and Belkaoui 121). An MTV advert conveys a different perspective when it shows young people taking alcohol (Kilbourne 43). An advert of that kind promotes peer pressure according to Kilbourne. The society is corrupt to the level that it no longer supports good moral on and off media. Responsibility has to be taken by the relevant authorities to counter this immoral behavior. Future generations are being ruined by insensitive, money-oriented individuals who care about profits. Much needs to be done to solve this rising issue.
Works cited
Kilbourne, Jean. Can't Buy My Love : How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel.
New York :Simon & Schuster, 2000. Print.
Belkaoui. A. , Belkaoui. J. "A Comparative Analysis of the Roles Portrayed by
Women in Print Advertisements: 1958, 1970, 1972," Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 13 (May, 1976), pp. 168-172.
Goffman, E. Gender Advertisements.: Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.1979. Print.
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