Objections to Advertising

Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of goods and services by an identified sponsor is known as Advertising. It is one of the most popular tools of promotion. The main aim of advertising is to increase the demand and sale of goods and services. Newspapers, televisions, magazines, etc., are common modes of advertising. Besides its various advantages, there are various objections to advertising.

Objections to Advertising

Advertising is criticised by many people, despite being one of the most common mediums of promotion. Many people think that it raises the price of products and services and leads to social waste.

Some of the objections are as follows:

1. Adds to Cost: Advertisements increase the price of products, so they are severely criticised. The cost of production is increased as firms spend a lot on advertising a product. For example, Advertisements which are shown on TV cost a lot of money to the firms, which end up adding costs to the product. The customers are offered the products at higher prices because of this.

Against this Objection:

This objection is not completely true. We cannot deny the fact that advertising helps to increase the demand for a product. It induces buyers to buy products by creating awareness. It also leads to mass production, which leads to economies of scale and reduces per unit cost of production. So, we can say that it reduces the burden on consumers rather than adding to it.

2. Undermines Social Values: Advertising is also criticised because it promotes materialism. People’s needs are multiplied and they are tempted to buy products, which is not required for them. They become dissatisfied with their present product after getting knowledge about a new product. It is said that it undermines social values, and leads to discontent among people.

Against this Objection:

This objection is also not entirely true, as advertising gives people a wide choice by making them aware of modern and better products. Moreover, the aim of advertising is only to inform the consumers, and the final choice to buy or not lies in their hands.

3. Confuses the Buyers: Advertisements confuse people as there is a continuous increase in the number of advertisements. Each brand claims to be the best through advertisements. For example, there are various advertisements for cement in India, like Ultra Tech Cement, Ambuja Cement, Dalmia Bharat, ACC, JK Cement, etc. These advertisements confuse the buyers as it is very difficult for them to make a choice.

Against this Objection:

The objection that advertisement confuses people is not true, as it only works towards providing a wide choice and various alternatives to the buyers. Consumers should be rational enough to make a choice as per their needs, and in case of any confusion, they should clarify it before taking any decision.  

4. Encourages Sale of Inferior Products: There is an objection that advertisement induces people to buy even inferior products. It is said by most people that with the help of advertisement anything can be sold in the market.

Against this Objection:

Advertisements should not be blamed for the sale of inferior goods, as the inferiority or superiority of a product depends on the economic status and preferences of the target customers. For example, Rolex watches advertise their watches for a particular class of people. Any person who is not financially sound, will not buy such a product. 

5. Some Advertisements are in Bad Taste: Some advertisements are criticised because they use indecent language, photographs, or convey bad messages to attract customers. For example, some advertisements objectify women. Ethical and social values are degraded because of such advertisements. Some advertisements can even distort relationships.

Against this Objection:

This cannot be taken as an objection against advertisement as good or bad taste is a matter of personal opinion. What was not accepted many years back is now acceptable with the change in time. The main idea behind advertising is to create awareness and demand for a product. It should also be kept in mind that it is also government’s duty to ensure that ethical standards are being used in advertisements.