Criticisms concerning the influence of advertising on society

PUFFERY/FRAUDULATION

· Very often we hear that advertisement exaggerates about the product qualities. Now a days ‘puffery’ i.e. “metaphor of idea” forms to be main element in advertising.

 · On the one hand critics accuse it, while on the other defenders i.e. advertisers and advertising professionals opined it as a helping agent to differentiate their brands from the competitors. Puffery is considered to be an ‘opinion’ and not a ‘factual information’.

· Advertisers claim that the consumers are intelligent enough to distinguish between truth and exaggeration.

· Moreover they are not blindly going to believe everything as such presented in an advertisement.

· Puffery, though legal, but is not harmful to an extent.

· But false claim and dishonesty are unethical practices and regular deception, leads to losing costumers trust & confidence.

UNTRUTHFUL OR DECEPTIVE

· Deceptiveness is defined as not only as false and misleading statements but also as false impressions conveyed, whether intentional or not.

· False and subjective claims about the products, is sometimes believed but are untruthful and misleading.

 · The problems of untruthful or fraudulent advertising exists more at the local level and in specific areas such as mail order, telemarketing and other forms of direct marketing.

· The following acts are considered unfair or deceptive practices :

· False promises

· Incomplete Descriptive

 · Misleading Comparisons

· Bait and Switch Offers

· Visual Distortions

· False Testimonials

· False Comparisons

· Partial Disclosures

· Small – Print Qualifications

 · Laboratory Application

OFFENSIVE OR IN BAD TASTE

 · Another one of the major complaints against advertisements is offensive, tasteless, irritating, boring, obnoxious & so on.

· Taste is subjective i.e. what is good taste to one may be bad for some one else. Tastes changes with time even as what is offensive today may not be tomorrow. Consumers can be offended by advertising in a number of ways.

· The type of appeal or the manner of presentation often irritates consumer. E.g. Fear Appeal in Deodorants, Mouthwash & Anti-dandruff shampoo ads are criticized to create anxiety & fear to be rejected in the society.

Social Functions Of Advertising

The functions of advertising as a social practice is the formation and consolidation in the minds of certain consumer models, values and norms of the society. Despite the fact that the scope of advertising is recognized sufficiently narrow, it has a definite effect on the nature of social relations. Advertising has become so obvious phenomenon in the public life, which in fact transformed into a special social institution and received a single integrated management within the framework of civil law.

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Advertising information addressed to consumers, besides the advertising of certain products and services affects the mass public consciousness and public relations in general. Listed below are some of the most important aspects of the social impact of advertising on society.

1. Advertising contributes to the formation of certain standards of thinking and social behavior of different social groups, and also supports and reinforces existing traditions and the established habits of consumers.
2. Advertising broadcasts different social groups of the material provided by man society, social and cultural opportunities. It creates the desire to use these features, as well as causes it to act to satisfy this desire and realize the opportunities offered by changes in their lives. As a rule, these actions correspond to the interests of society as a whole. Thus, advertising stimulates consumer behavior, encouraging them to increase their level of well-being, and thereby contributes to a better quality of life. It promotes the formation of the “middle class”, which in any society is the basis of its stability. However, in some cases, the functions of advertising can play a destructive role in forming social conflicts. This occurs, for example, in cases where the advertising spreads in the society ideal consumption patterns in adverse socio-economic conditions, not giving the reason the majority of the members of this society to form an opinion about the availability of these models.
3. Advertising works on the formation of values and way of life. Advertising has become an integral part of the socio-cultural stratum of society, making it a certain contribution, but in this case, it is not the beginning of forming social values, in contrast to the art, literature and religion.
4. Advertising promotes conscious consumer behavior, as it helps to compare the features of the proposals, giving the consumer the opportunity to decide on the purchase of already being informed.
5. Advertisement indirectly contributes to the culture of consumption, as comparing the various goods and services, the consumer is in any case tends to get really the best.
6. Advertising contributes to the spread of knowledge from various fields of human activity, instilling consumers some practical skills.
7. Advertising is introducing into the consciousness of people, new knowledge and ideas about new ways to improve their lives. Advertising in some cases, offering consumers new consumption patterns and new social culture, especially in the process of introducing new products and technologies. Thus, it accelerates the implementation of technical and non-technical innovations in various spheres of social practice.
8. Advertisement indirectly has a significant impact on social development, as it contributes to the development of social relations in the sphere of consumption, which is the backbone of social practice in a consumer society.

A look at advertising as a social phenomenon, the evaluation of its activities are entirely dependent on the country, with its historical and cultural traditions. So, now more than 50 percent of citizens have a negative attitude towards advertising. This figure is comparable with similar indicators in other economically developed countries.