The Influence of Advertising
How much do the advertisements we see in the media truly
influence our actions, perceptions and opinions? This is a much debated topic. Are
the influences positive or negative? Why are we so affected by the ads we see
on TV, hear on the radio, or read on the internet?
In our everyday lives, we are virtually bombarded with
messages from the media. From commercials on television, to ads on Pandora
radio, in the newspaper, on YouTube, in magazines we read, even on social networking
sites – media influence is inescapable. For example, the top 3 social
networking sites (Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) are filled with ads. Currently
there are 90 million active users on Instagram, 425 million active users on
Facebook, and 555 million active users on Twitter. Every day over 1 billion
people are exposed to advertisements on these social networking sites alone.
Just how much exactly does this kind of advertising exposure influence
us? An interesting study by conducted by Facebook and Datalogix suggests that
it is incredibly influential (source: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/03/facebook_advertisement_studies_their_ads_are_more_like_tv_ads_than_google.html). 70% of companies who advertised
on Facebook made back at least three times what they spent on the advertising, and that 50% made back at least five times what they spent. However,
less than 1% of Facebook users actually clicked on the ad, or went to the sponsor's website to find out more about the product. This study suggests
that even if we just glancing or skimming past an advertisement on Facebook can
influence our decisions and actions. Most people go on these websites weekly, daily or even hourly; the repeated exposure to different advertisements is something that becomes ingrained into our subconscious and influences our consumption, whether we are aware of it or not.
The question is: why are the ads we see so influential? One reason is that advertisements are almost always idealized situations of reality. Food advertising is a prime example of this. Take a look at the ads below:
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These advertise food for very popular fast food chains: Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, amd McDonalds. In the pictures, the food looks fresh, colorful, and appetizing. The ads are made so that people who see them fixate on the image of a delicious, juicy burger or a crunchy, fresh taco, and subsequently go out to buy the food. However, would the ads be as effective if they looked like this?
If these were the pictures used in advertising, the ads would definitely not be as influential. The "real-life" pictures are not very enticing or appealing; they certainly wouldn't be very useful at making consumers want to eat at those restaurants. However, when fluffed-up, idealized versions of the same products are used in advertisements, they are much more appealing; it is these representations that drive us to go out and buy the food from these corporations, even though we know that we won't be getting exactly what we see in the advertisements.
It is undeniable that advertising plays a huge role in people's decisions and actions. Below are some more interesting articles about how how advertising affects our lives. Next time you are at Walmart, Target, Publix, McDonald's, etc, take a moment to think about what you're buying, why you're buying it, and if advertising may have been a factor in your decision.
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