The effects of television advertising to society

Have you seen the latest ad on your favorite food, perfume, bag, clothes, mobile phone, computer, TV, etc.?  Are you so “in” the latest fad that you’ve already bought the trendiest and hippest accessories advertised?  Are you updated with the newest TV commercial jingles and taglines?  These are simply the effects of television advertising to society.  With more people patronizing TV these days, more and more people are carried away because of the TV ads also ---- without even consciously knowing it.  What’s worse is that most of these viewers are negatively affected by it in a subconscious level.

These advertisements hold a great impact and effect on the viewers especially the young ones.  Most of the ads usually convey their message effectively in just a few seconds that the audience have unknowingly captured the idea and internalized it --- and the next thing they know, they are in the malls, buying the newest shampoo or soap or makeup.  The effects of television advertising may not look grave, but because of the subtlety of these effects, consumers just don’t know it but their minds are already absorbing it.

Advertising doesn’t only fall in one place like the commercial breaks, but a more effective advertising happens when the television characters use this or include this as part of the shows or programs.  Also, most TV commercials make use of famous celebrities or beautiful models that consumers are tempted to patronize it because they want to be like them.

Studies and researches have been made and conducted, and results of these tests and surveys show that advertising has greatly affected the TV viewers.  For example, more young people drink alcohol than soft drinks or water because characters in shows and commercials drink this.  More children prefer to eat junk foods and fatty chips because of the yummy ads they see on TV.  Another huge effect is on one’s dissatisfaction of the body ---- stereotyping women and men, that for ladies to be beautiful they have to posses such curves, hair, skin, etc., and for guys to be handsome they have to possess the worked-out body, etc.  Also, women are portrayed as sex objects in some commercials that the perception of people on women as homemakers are turned upside down.

The effects of television advertising are impressive, affecting everyone --- children, teens, and adults --- that self-worth and self-appreciation is slowly diminishing.  It is because these TV ads point out the person’s lack of something, instead of the products’ features.  So, instead of consumers buying it because of the product’s particular ingredient or value, consumers tend to buy it to make them feel good and beautiful instead.  Though the effects of television advertising are somehow getting worse, more and more people still patronize it.