Is marketing responsible for Affluenza? Affluenza, which is defined as the cycle of stress, overwork and indebtedness that fosters a human drive toward materialism, has been identified as a central problem for the ethical and moral development o

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Dimitri Psarianos

“Is marketing responsible for Affluenza?”

‘Affluenza, which is defined as the cycle of stress, overwork and indebtedness that fosters a human drive toward materialism, has been identified as a central problem for the ethical and moral development of society‘(Harmon, 2001).

Affluenza is a harmful, unbalanced relationship with money that is being driven by the expanding development of technology and the mass media. The ever expanding industry thrives on its marketing strategies to obtain its customers and withdraw them to spend their money on the most recent items and gadgets, just to keep up with the “Joneses”.

The major culprit of Affluenza is the marketing industry and through their exploitation they have encouraged: over-consumption, ‘luxury fever’, and self-centered gratification.  The marketing industries push the wants rather than the needs, cultivating a sense of deprivation amongst plenty.  They utilize consumer psychology and building an environment where consumers demand products they otherwise would not.

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Marketing is involved within every business and organisation. They try to either promote their organisation or a particular product appealing to certain target groups. The marketing that is produced through the mass media is forwarding the affects of ‘Affluenza’ within the general public. The marketing industry pushes us to consume beyond our income capacity, leading to unsustainable debts. Affluenza is having a negative effect and impact upon society and may be responsible for the decreasing standards of ethics in the context of business.

Marketing’s role is so enormous it comprises the process of creating, distributing, promoting and ...

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