The ultimate purpose of advertising has been long debated, with some claiming that it solely serves to drive consumerism. Although advertisements are employed to raise product awareness, it is primarily used for encourage consumerism.
Admittedly, advertising serves as an indispensible tool in raising product awareness. The contemporary global market offers an abundance of goods, which necessiates effective means of promotion to inform public about the presence of a product and to demonstrate its superiority over other competitors. Without advertising, regardlessof the quality, the true potential of a product is unlikely to realised. For example, pharmathetical companies rely heavily on the promotion of a medication, despite producing high-quality and credible formulas. To do so, they create campains, provide free samples and address medical institutions for examining its effectiveness. This way these companies gain trust of public,holding a distiction to be a reliable and authetic source.
Nonetheless, advertising is regarded as an highly effective way of attracting customers and to encourage frequent visits. This is because they shapes customer behaviour and create psychological perceptions by associating a product with a happiness, status, prestige and confidence, while subconciously encouraging overconsumption. Apple serves as a real-life example: the brand frequently creates hype and excietement around an upcoming product, shaping an insatiable desire in public long before its release. While the features might not differ significantly compared to other competitors, the intention to possess one remains consistent. In fact, it is often equipped to show one’s social and financial status, which makes more and more people willing to have one simply to satisfy their egos and feel satisfied.
In conclusion, while advertising raise awareness about a product, its main purpose lies in encouraging consumerism among society. The further prevalence of this phenomenon would possibly precipitate overconsumption, leading to poor financial decisions.