Marketing is Bad for Society
"Advertisers often sell more than products, but advertisers generally don't care about that...even in the case of addictive products, the aim of advertisers is to make money, not to create addicts. Unfortunately they can't do the former without doing the latter. Indeed, the addict is the idea consumer." (Kilbourne, 1999, p28)Marketing is arguably the most important activity a business undertakes. Important because without marketing and its various activities, in a global market where there is so much choice and so many brands all shouting to be heard, it is the only way in which a product can hope to distinguish itself in the minds of the consumers - it is the only way the company can persuade the consumer to buy their product.Of the various marketing methods used in raising awareness, informing and persuading consumers to buy their product, advertising is the most prominent method. Billboards, television commercials, radio, print advertising in magazines and newspapers. Cars with the company logos, internet sites, pamphlets...they are pervasive and constant in the modern society. But how ethical is advertising? If it creates, as Kilbourne (1999, p.77) says ".
And though they corrupt that which is most sacred to us, in the same breath they make us desire all these commodities that they are advertising. The capitalistic and commercial world is predominantly the product of the western world and the values and ideals are being exported through the media and advertising to these places whose culture is so different. 115) and if they do - what can they do about it?When viewed in this way, advertising as a construct of the capitalistic world appears to take on an almost "Big Brother" nature in that nothing can escape from the capitalistic and commercial machine. This advertisement not only promises affection and love, it is suggesting that you can gain this affection and love from the yoghurt, which seems ludicrous - after all, it's just a pot of yoghurt, and yet the emotions stirred up by the images of this pot of yoghurt (which the way it moves brings to mind an adorable, innocent child) are very real and the advertisers pounce on it to exploit and use in selling their product. This view of self conceives of the human as being controlled by reason alone, able to isolate one's will from the emotional and sentimental inputs of daily experience. 85) ,however, suggests that advertisers go one step further than suggesting this - she suggests we are encouraged to see ourselves as being in a relationship with the product because it's easier and safer to love a thing than a person.
Common topics in this essay:
Stuart Ewens,
Master Card,
SOCIETY Advertisers,
Calvin Klein,
Naomi Klein,
Coca Cola,
Edell Gustafon,
Hosler Klein,
Magazine NZ,
Goldman Corrigan,
kilbourne 1999,
corrigan 1997,
bad society,
advertising marketing,
norberg-hodge 2001/2002,
gustafon 2001,
feminist movement,
buy product,
brand clothing,
weaver 2003,
kilbourne 1999 p85,
portrayed advertising media,
corrigan 1997 p73,
social movement idea,
kilbourne 1999 p77,
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Acceptance Essays
