A wide range of techniques are used in the art of advertising. Colour immediately attracts attention. Although red, popular as it is and yellow, bright and eye catching are the two most commonly used colours in advertising, the simplicity of black or white can just as easily gain the viewer’s attention. Celebrity endorsement has a huge influence on advertising. In ‘Pester Power’, children were immediately able to answer the question ‘ What are Gary Linekar’s favourite crisps?’ with the correct answer ‘Walkers’ as he is used in the advert to advertise this product. This, no doubt, shows the popularity of adverts in themselves. Also, the question, ‘What do the Spice Girls drink?’ was again correctly answered with ‘Pepsi’ as they had promoted the product. This was because their pop icons advertised the product and could have easily lead to young children thinking that if they drink this juice, they will be like their idols. Sex is often used in advertisement too, aiming towards teenagers and adults. A picture of a naked or partially covered girl will instantly grab attention and, although the viewers may not buy the product, they become familiar with the company. Another good technique is comedy, which makes advertisement a form of entertainment. It can generate conversation in people, a valuable means of advertising as it spreads through word of mouth. Other techniques, which are commonly used and successful, are music, popularity and propaganda. If a product is shown being enjoyed by others, people instantly feel it is the next must have. Although parents and older people are sucked in by this method, children are a lot more vulnerable to it. When children pester their parents for the next must have, they do not stop until they eventually get it. Advertising companies know this and so they use it to their advantage. Although companies want their product sold, they feel that if they tell the whole truth, it may not sell as well so they ‘bluff’ their way by not telling lies but, then again, not telling the whole truth. This technique for advertising can end up being harmful, as can pester power. It can result in parents feeling pressurized into buying unneeded toys and products.
Although this technique can have a negative effect, advertising can produce a good force in society. It creates entertainment and gives jobs to those who can use their creativity to encourage people to buy the companies’ product. So people are being entertained and products are being bought.
Then again, it can generate a lot of pester power, can exaggerate and misinform. Children’s toys, such as action figures, are often shown on colourful backgrounds, jumping from tall buildings with a suitable piece of music but when the children get the action figure, they see it is all alone and not jumping from buildings. They then feel it is not so great at all and, in this way, advertising can exaggerate a products appearance and use.
In conclusion, I would have to agree with the title. Advertising does do more harm than good and the reason for this is because of many factors but I feel the greatest factor is money. It takes a lot of money for the advertisement to be made in the first place- there is the employing of the idea people, the cost of the actor in the ad (if there is one) and furthermore if the person is famous, the cost of buying time on television, etc. Also, if the product is unsuccessful, all this money has gone to waste and the company may end up losing money. There is then the amount it costs the parents to buy their child the next must have product after they have continually pestered them about it. Of course the other factors such as stress on parents, offence to people (when offensive comedy is used or certain cultures are offended) all make advertising do more harm than good.