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What's Right with Advertising? Single-issue critics of advertising often ignore the benefits of advertising and the complexity of the issues. On the other hand, advertisers and business people often have negative "knee-jerk" reactions to any criticism of advertising, ignoring valid complaints and real problems. Both extremes need to examine their own (self-appointed) roles as "Defenders of the Free Enterprise System" or as "Protectors of the Consumers." We all inherit both the advantages and disadvantages of modern advertising. Nobody complains about the benefits, the good aspects, of advertising. If you ask most people about the merits of advertising, they'll say something about the value of the information ("new products ... new services") or the entertainment ("clever ads... humorous... cute... interesting") received. Creative people might even mention the advanced techniques -- the "high production values " -- used to get attention. However, in a wider scope, advertising (for better or
worse) has a major economic role
in modern society. Most college textbooks in "Advertising"
courses, designed to teach the future persuaders, begin with a basic
defense of advertising. "Dear Mr. President: As you and the Congress are hard at work on ways to improve our country's economy, we respectfully remind you of advertising's role as an engine of economic growth. It raises capital, creates jobs and spurs production. It launches new products, provides consumer information and furthers competition, thereby lowering consumer prices. It increases government revenues since jobs produce taxable income, and greater sales increase sales taxes." |