Advertising: Who’s In Control? A Mother’s Point Of View

The word “advertise” originates from the Latin word advertere, which means to turn toward or to take note of.

The primary objective of advertising is promoting a product in such a way that one can distinguish it from other products, thus making it unique and easily identifiable. The next task is to persuade and encourage consumers to buy the product.

Advertising is a form of communication that must be acknowledged in order to be effective. Today the various techniques, strategies and policies used by the advertising companies are aggressive and overwhelming.

We are surrounded by all kinds of advertisements. No one can escape them: they are everywhere. In the newspapers, in magazines, on television, on the radio, on the Internet, in the cinemas, on buses and taxis, on billboards, on shopping bags and food wrappers – exhausting! In fact, one would be hard pressed to find a place where advertisements did not exist. They are even in the schools; and children and teenagers are more affected and influenced by advertising than any other age group, and they are unaware of it.

The concept of advertising is not inherently bad. Some of the most important messages directed at teenagers have been effective and beneficial: “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk,” or “Just say No to drugs.”

However, there is also an ugly side to advertising directed at children and teenagers that parents cannot afford to ignore. Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics said that young children are cognitively and psychologically defenseless against advertising. They are incapable of understanding the difference between the truth and a sales pitch. For example, breakfast cereal advertisements mention the various nutrients and vitamins that are good for children. What they do not mention is the high level of sugar the cereals almost always contain. Children watching these amusing, entertaining and funny adverts believe that these cereals are ideal for them.

Teenagers are just as susceptible. They are at the point in their lives when their bodies are changing due to puberty, and they are also undergoing the adolescent phase of their lives. This means that they are inexperienced, immature, impetuous and emotional. Basically, teenagers are trying to find out who they are. On the one hand, teens want to show their individuality through their clothes, possessions and behavior, and on the other hand they desperately want to fit in with their peers. Advertisers are aware of this confusion. This is a goldmine for advertisers.

Teenagers are prone to impulse buying. They simply think something is cool or fashionable; they don’t ask why. They tend not to think logically, or they overanalyze the long-term purpose of a purchase. They are able to spend money more freely, as they don’t carry the adult burden of responsibility. Furthermore, in our consumer climate, teenagers actually consider shopping with money that they have not earned to be a hobby!

Advertisers are able to exploit these vulnerabilities and insecurities by promoting a fantasy in order to make a profit. For example, wearing certain sport shoes will make you run faster. Advertisers spend millions of dollars on various techniques and strategies in Xpress money locations order to lure, tempt and encourage teenagers to buy particular products and services that they probably don’t need. Parents are put under pressure by their children to buy the latest toy or gadget, which is destined to last only a few months until the next toy or gadget is marketed.

As adults, we are not immune to the tactics of advertising firms. As a woman of a certain age, I was almost cajoled into buying some very expensive anti-aging cream. This cream purports to make one look considerably younger; I came to my senses after reading further. It achieves this feat by reducing the appearances of wrinkles. If you already have wrinkles, it may be a bit too late.

Some of my friends have argued with me on this topic. They truly believe in this cream. Looking at their faces, I beg to differ: the cream is not working. Of course, I will never tell them that.

In addition, we must keep in mind that advertisers no longer just follow or promote the trend. They create it in order to sell their products. A few decades ago the idea of a man cleansing, toning and moisturizing his face would have been unthinkable and ludicrous. However, a well-known cosmetic company, with the help of a sustained advertising campaign at football stadiums, has successfully promoted its men’s skincare products, thus making it acceptable for men to attend to their faces.

My husband received such a gift last Christmas (not from me, may I add). He has difficulty looking at the products. He has mentioned that the thought of standing in front of a mirror and attending to his face is the least manly act he could ever commit. Yet it is now acceptable. The new normal, one could say.

Advertisers have very cleverly manipulated a want, a wish or a desire into a need, a must-have or a can’t-do-without, thus making consumers addicted to products they don’t need. I often ask myself why almost every teenager has a cell phone. They don’t actually need one. However, teenagers have built an emotional relationship with their gadgets, thus guaranteeing that they can never be without this product.

If we as adults are struggling with the negative effects of advertising, imagine how difficult it must be for children and teenagers, who are oblivious to what is happening. As parents, we have our work cut out for us. We must educate our children and teenagers on how to make good decisions, by opening their eyes to the tricks advertising companies employ to get people to buy their products.

For example, fast food restaurants nearly always show children or teenagers having fun while eating at such establishments. There is no way any fast food advertisement will show obese children or teenagers eating at their restaurants, even though childhood obesity has been linked to fast food, junk food and poor diets.

It is the same story with alcohol. We often see advertisements of young, good-looking adults drinking and having fun. When was the last time you saw an advertisement showing teenagers at a party bingeing on alcohol? It is sad that this is sometimes the case. We need to make teenagers understand, in spite of what the advertisers promote, that excessive drinking will never be attractive or healthy.

Advertisers have created the perfect image: how one should look and dress, how successful he or she should be, what is cool and what is not cool. Children, and especially teenagers, need to know that most of what they see in the advertisements is superficial. For instance, female actresses or models are usually stick thin; the male actors and models are not far behind, and they all have six-packs. We should honestly point out to our kids that it is not normal to see these people in the high street or at the grocery store. It is basically a fantasy. Yes, there are people who are good-looking and slim, but it is essential that teenagers know the difference between emaciated and healthy.

Advertisers promote their goods with extrinsic values such as being good-looking, wealthy, successful, and in control. They use well-known or popular celebrities to endorse their products. We as parents must instill and encourage intrinsic values in our children, such as honesty, acceptance of themselves, contentment with their lives, and the ability to know the difference between what they want and what they need. We must teach them not to follow the crowds but rather to develop and follow their beliefs. Most important of all concerning advertising, they must question what they are buying and why.

By Carolyn Raess

Carolyn has a degree in Law & Economics. She lives in Switzerland with her husband and their three children.