It is stated that boosting sales is the primary goal of advertisements. Although I acknowledge there are other intentions too behind advertisements, I strongly agree that the commercials are mainly designed to generate more revenue for two reasons.
Advertisements are multi-faceted and the predominant reason to promote goods is mainly to increase sales through targeting larger audience. Some commercials are shown on billboards, TV adds, and Internet pop-up to become gradually ingrained in people’s minds. This is one of the main phycological methods used in advertisements as it is proven be effective. Not only individuals remember the name of a product through constant reinforcement, but also it encourages them to choose that particular item when they are in stores. They convince customers that their products are better in quality and has extra perks in comparison to their competitors. For example, a candy brand called JoyRide advertises their candies to be healthier than 90% of the products on the market as it does not use any artificial coloring and junk ingredients. Therefore, it appeal to many people including those who are insecure about their body weight, hence increasing the number of sales and brining more profit to the company.
Another reason as to why companies prioritize making money over other factors, such as being environmentally-friendly, positively contributing to society, and the overall well-being of their customers, is showcased through their shady practices. Many advertisements are aimed at insecure and impressionable teens who are constantly on social media platforms. Famous YouTube content creators, namely, Logan Paul, KSI, and MrBeast, has recently collaborated to create a lunch box, called Lunchables, targeting school children. Since their content videos attract mainly young people and children, they decided to launch their own products. However, the consequent media backlash revealed that their products are not as healthy as they were claimed to be, resulting in protests from many concerned parents. As such, this explicitly demonstrates how advertisements are manipulated to bring more revenue to companies.
In conclusion, much as I admit that there are some advertisements which promote healthy lifestyle and prioritize other factors, I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of commercials are meant to increase sales via targeting bigger audience and using unfair tactics.