The influence of TV advertising on consumers

It goes without saying that all of us are influenced by TV advertisements. Of course, some people like them others hate them, but almost everyone watches dozens of TV commercials every day. In fact, they’ve become an integral part of our modern life. Just look—adverts are all around us, they are not only on TV, radio or in press; we can also see them on sport grounds, in shop-windows, on trams and buses. And whether we like it or not, advertising is a powerful force, besides, it has a lot of sophisticated ways of persuading people to various goods.

For example, very often they use such language and pictures which make us believe that we must be ashamed of ourselves for not buying a certain product. As a matter of fact they play on our feelings and emotions, and especially on our wish to be up-to-date. The numerous commercials exploit our desire to as good as others, and the main message here is to buy the product if you don’t want to be left behind. I must say it is very tempting to buy a TVset of a new millennium or a coffee-maker which every other family in Europe uses. But as a rule here an average Belarussian consumer inevitably faces two problems: what should be done with the previous one that is perfectly working and how to earn as much money as European families.

No doubt that every loving mother wants her baby to have only the best in the way of food, clothing and equipment. That is why sometimes her judgment on prices may go haywire when it comes to buying for her kid. Of course, manufactures and advertisers recognize and exploit to the full. In addition, the child himself watches television since early years and accept all its suggestions.

There’s one more trick modern advertisers use saying: “Be attractive”. Images of successful women with luxurious lives and strapping young fellows are often showed to draw our attention to products. But in my opinion, a young man smoking “Camel” on a high mountain doesn’t look romantic and brave. I think it is rather ridiculous to climb so high in order to inhale nicotine instead of fresh air.

I must admit I always wonder how they can persuade us to go out and buy goods even if we don’t need them. To my mind, those who made commercials are very wise and clever, because they apply a lot of tricks. For instance, advertisers sometimes tell us that the product is the most exclusive, only the “cream” use it. Another way is to show a serious-looking man wearing glasses and a white coat, possibly a doctor or a professor, who describes the advantages of the product. Actually, making commercials advertisers don’t just sell us goods they also reflect our dreams, fears and stereotypes. Bright pictures, sample sales, free gifts are used to advertise goods, service and I’d say a certain way of life. Some consumers are so trustful that as soon as they see a commercial about smth new and fashionable they rush to the nearest supermarket to splash out on it.

However, there’re some ads which personally I find very instructive and useful. They persuade us to buy certain products if we want to do our job properly; they are for healthy food, environmentally friendly goods and for charities. As for me I really like and approve such commercials, because they make us feel guilty if we ignore the appeal, and tell us to be responsible and to act reasonably.

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