Where teacher and students list the demerits of advertising
TEACHER'S LIST
Major drawbacks of advertising
- as the main locomotive of growth in capitalist economies, constitutes a threat to the ecology of the planet due to the wasteful practices it induces
- constructs, especially via TV/video/film advertising, an illusory world for millions of poorer viewers worldwide (but so do Bollywood, Hollywood, video games...)
- constructs a false paradigm of normative happiness/contentment/security/physical appearance etc. in the nations where it thrives (societal formatting)
- using simplistic (national)stereotypes or caricature based on ignorance, reduces the potential understanding between neighbouring peoples (say) of Europe and increases the future risk of misunderstanding or conflict between such nations
- by recourse to persistent repetition of messages in every media (esp. in the West), constitutes an attempted form of brainwashing of the population
- despite controls over the years, has tended to use questionable psychological and ethical techniques in order to persuade public opinion (psychoanalysis (E. Bernays), subliminal messages, hidden cameras in Paris street billboards...)
- addresses itself to children first when pertinent, playing on their doubts, fears and deep psychological needs (need for love, protection (Ronald McDonald ?), social acceptance (Barbie ?)
- by its very omnipresence, obliterates other forms of socially useful communication and information, creating a non-choice situation (say for food) for U.S citizens ('oh well, let's just go to Burger King' (sigh, what else is there ?)
Minor drawbacks
- tends with its billboards, to uglify and clutter the urban environment
- risks causing road accidents due to driver inattention because of its large hoardings along local and national roads
- in some countries, damages the film experience on TV or at the cinema with its advertising breaks or its heavy pre-film barrage of spots
- rather than inform the reader/viewer on the product's qualities, speaks more of brand image or post-purchase brand experience
- often tends to twist/omit/ignore the facts in its messages, favorising emotion, manipulative humour and the instrumentalisation of human foibles (fear, social envy, greed...); 'touches up' photos and images to glamourise reality
- according to the product or service, frequently aims for the lowest common denominator of PR (using kids' voices on radio, testimonials...)
STUDENTS' LIST COMING SOON
* See next post please
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