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> The purpose of advertising is to make you buy more than you need. That's an incredibly cynical way of looking at the situation. There is also the purpose of

by brador 11y ago

> The purpose of advertising is to make you buy more than you need. That's an incredibly cynical way of looking at the situation. There is also the purpose of telling you about a product you can buy that might possibly be beneficial to your lifestyle. Through advertising you get to find out about that product faster, something especially important in these days of brisk innovation.

Joeri 11y ago
I can't recall ever having learned anything of value from an ad, but YMMV. Still, it's not cynical to say that advertising is meant to make you buy more, because that's why ad space is bought: to boost sales. And it's also not cynical to say that those extra sales would not have occurred without the ad, hence they were for goods people could have done without. Something which can be done without is unneeded, hence, it is not cynical to say ads are meant to make you buy things you don't need. Or rather, they're meant to make you think you need more than you did before. Advertising is the engine of consumerism.
- brador 11y ago
  > And it's also not cynical to say that those extra sales would not have occurred without the ad, hence they were for goods people could have done without Here's the error. Yes, they were products the target could have done without, but not something they can do without once they have the product. Consider: The first iPhone. A device that opens possibilities to improve your life that never existed before. You could do without it, but once you have it you can't do without it. I think you'd have appreciated an ad for the original iPhone if it eventually led to you buying one.
  - Joeri 11y ago
    You're confusing need with want. Nobody needs an iPhone, not even after they get one. Plenty of people want an iPhone. To be fair, the statement "advertising makes you want what you don't need" is not a value judgment on whether that is a good or bad thing. It could be that advertising is beneficial to the world. It just seems unlikely.

by brador 11y ago

Joeri 11y ago

I can't recall ever having learned anything of value from an ad, but YMMV. Still, it's not cynical to say that advertising is meant to make you buy more, because that's why ad space is bought: to boost sales. And it's also not cynical to say that those extra sales would not have occurred without the ad, hence they were for goods people could have done without. Something which can be done without is unneeded, hence, it is not cynical to say ads are meant to make you buy things you don't need. Or rather, they're meant to make you think you need more than you did before. Advertising is the engine of consumerism.

brador 11y ago
> And it's also not cynical to say that those extra sales would not have occurred without the ad, hence they were for goods people could have done without Here's the error. Yes, they were products the target could have done without, but not something they can do without once they have the product. Consider: The first iPhone. A device that opens possibilities to improve your life that never existed before. You could do without it, but once you have it you can't do without it. I think you'd have appreciated an ad for the original iPhone if it eventually led to you buying one.
- Joeri 11y ago
  You're confusing need with want. Nobody needs an iPhone, not even after they get one. Plenty of people want an iPhone. To be fair, the statement "advertising makes you want what you don't need" is not a value judgment on whether that is a good or bad thing. It could be that advertising is beneficial to the world. It just seems unlikely.