Many have argued that advertisement serves no real purpose as necessity motivates all purchases. I disagree with this completely because ads give consumers a minimum guarantee of quality and also develop wants into needs.
First of all, advertising is the most direct way to inform customers of a given product’s quality. The content of the ad is less important than the fact they were able to produce, distribute and, oftentimes, get a celebrity endorsement. For example, KFC typically signs the most famous football players to massive sponsorship deals, thereby evidencing the continued relevance and quality of their food. When a lesser known company premiers an advertisement this is evidence that they are generating enough revenue to validate whatever product they sell or service they provide.
Secondly, advertising does not simply meet needs; it creates them. Most people could live more fulfilling lives with fewer products but advertising stimulates desires by appealing to consumer psychology and those initial wants eventually become habitual. A good example of this would be the rise of Apple products in the last two decades and the role of advertising in making them popular. Apple phones and computers are famed not only for their quality but also the sense of being part of a community of users. Stylish ads like the ‘think different’ campaign helped foster their dominance. Now the desire to become part of the Apple community and appear cool has become a basic need for many users hooked into the Apple ecosystem of high-quality consumer electronics.
In conclusion, advertising serves an important role in society. This does not mean that it should not be regulated, simply that consumers and officials should be mindful of the full contribution of advertisers.