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Agreed. Advertising in many cases also isn't a net gain for society. One of its goal is to manufacture demand where there is none. A famous example is the DeBee
by opportune 9y ago
Agreed. Advertising in many cases also isn't a net gain for society. One of its goal is to manufacture demand where there is none. A famous example is the DeBeers diamond company, which created expectations for diamonds to be used as a sign of love in proposals. We could just as well get along as a society without any diamonds in jewelry whatsoever, and might even be better off for it. They didn't realize increase enjoyment in society so much as create a new negative situation (spouse upset/insecure with jewelry) that only money could fix.
There are benefits to advertising: it keeps consumers up to date on the current products on the market and can emphasize the positive traits of those products. But in practice it more often relies on psychological tricks and manipulation (look at any Budweiser commercial and tell me it isn't a subtle play to insecure masculinity) that don't necessarily benefit consumers.
- GauntletWizard 9y agoInsane spikes of demand happen. Fashion did not become an industry because of Advertising. Fidget Spinners did not require advertising to be a huge hit. Manufactured demand doesn't happen nearly as much as demand bubbles up and advertising provides the lightning rod by which it's grounded. Advertising can have a lot of really great effects on society, too. You think that conservation programs came out of nowhere? That people learned how to recycle because everyone was really interested? The entire "green" economy is hugely driven by advertising - Not as much the corporate style, but lifestyle advertising driven by conservation nonprofits (whose revenue, by the way, is almost entirely driven by advertising; Look up the rates that nonprofit fundraisers charge, and then realize that despite how insane they are, the nonprofits still find them profitable!)
- ethbro 9y agoCan fashion actually be separated from advertising at this point?
- tonyedgecombe 9y agoNone the less it's pretty easy to see advertising and the subsequent consumption is a net loss to the environment.
- coldtea 9y ago>Advertising in many cases also isn't a net gain for society. In many cases? Has it ever been? I don't even consider the increase in consumption (and resulting lifestyle obsessions, environmental damage, and over-abundance of crap) a positive of advertising.
- Banthum 9y agoI consider movie trailers a net gain. Not if they go too long, but a few good trailers can cue you into good films to watch. Then there's advertising like, "This restaurant is at the next highway stop" which just gives you useful information." There are many other examples.
- tonyedgecombe 9y agoMovie trailers are one of the reasons I don't go to the cinema anymore, they never seem relevant to me.
- eldondev 9y agoCertainly not an advertising apologist, but sometimes advertising attempts to provide information to alter consumer behavior in a way that is more optimal for the consumer and the advertisng vendor than it is pessimal for the original vendor. From a mpg(society) perspective, some urban commuter might do far better in a Prius than in, say, a Suburban. This might be the result of advertising and also a net gain for society. Also, sometimes really good things get underwritten NPR, Podcasts, etc (which might be like advertising).
- coldtea 9y ago>From a mpg(society) perspective, some urban commuter might do far better in a Prius than in, say, a Suburban. This might be the result of advertising and also a net gain for society. Yes, but advertising is neutral to that. It will advertise a low-mpg smog-emitting monster just as well as a Prius. And it will prioritise advertising cars (which make them more money) over public transit or bicycles and so on.
- throwanem 9y ago> look at any Budweiser commercial and tell me it isn't a subtle play to insecure masculinity I'll happily tell you it isn't subtle.