The Harmful Effects of Television Advertising

1. Introduction

In our modern world, it is impossible to imagine our lives without television. It has become an integral part of our daily routine, providing us with entertainment, news and information. However, television is not only a source of entertainment and information, but also a powerful tool for marketing and advertising.

Advertising is a necessary evil in our capitalist society. Companies need to advertise their products in order to sell them and make a profit. While advertising can be beneficial in some ways, it can also be harmful. This essay will explore the harmful effects of television advertising.

2. Television Advertising: A Necessary Evil?

It is no secret that television advertising is pervasive. We are bombarded with commercial messages every day, whether we are watching our favourite TV show, browsing the internet or walking down the street. Advertising plays a significant role in our lives and it is not going away anytime soon.

While advertising is necessary for businesses to survive, it can also have negative effects on individuals and society as a whole. For example, ads can be harmful because they:
– Create unrealistic expectations
– Promote unhealthy products
– Target children and vulnerable people
– Encourage consumerism
– Distort reality
– Are used as propaganda

3. The Dark Side of Television Advertising

As previously mentioned, ads can create unrealistic expectations. We are bombarded with images of perfect bodies, perfect families and perfect lives. These images are often airbrushed and Photoshopped, which create an unrealistic standard of beauty that is unattainable for most people. As a result, people may develop low self-esteem and body image issues.

In addition to creating unrealistic standards, ads also promote unhealthy products. For example, fast food ads are everywhere and they make junk food look appealing. As a result, people may eat more junk food than they would otherwise and this can lead to obesity and other health problems.

Another problem with television advertising is that it often targets children and vulnerable people. Ads for sugary cereals, fast food restaurants and toy companies are designed to appeal to kids. They use bright colours, catchy jingles and friendly characters to lure children in and convince them to beg their parents to buy them the product. This is unethical because children are not able to understand the persuasive methods used in these ads and they are more likely to become obese or develop eating disorders as a result of seeing them.

In addition to targeting children, many ads also target vulnerable adults who may have low self-esteem or be struggling with other issues. For example, weight loss ads often target people who are unhappy with their weight or who have body image issues. These ads promise quick results with little effort required, which can lead people to try dangerous crash diets or other unhealthy weight loss strategies.
Encourages consumerism: One of the most harmful effects of advertising is that it encourages consumerism. We are constantly bombarded with messages telling us that we need to buy this product or that we will be happier/cooler/more attractive if we do so. This can lead us to spend money unnecessarily on things that we don’t need and ultimately makes us unhappy because we’re never satisfied with what we have.
One way that advertisers encourage consumerism is by using celebrity endorsements. We are more likely to buy a product if we see someone we admire using it. This is because we want to be like them and we think that the product will make us feel the way they do. However, this is often not the case and we end up spending our hard-earned money on something that we don’t need.

4. Children and Obesity

As mentioned earlier, one of the harmful effects of television advertising is that it can lead to obesity. This is because ads for fast food restaurants and sugary cereals are designed to appeal to children and make junk food look appealing. As a result, kids beg their parents to take them to McDonalds or buy them a particular cereal and they end up eating too much junk food. This can lead to obesity, which can be very harmful to a child’s health.

There are a number of reasons why childhood obesity is so harmful. First of all, obese children are more likely to suffer from health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They are also more likely to be bullied and have low self-esteem. In addition, obese children are more likely to become obese adults, which can lead to even more health problems.

5. McDonalds: A Case Study

One company that has come under fire for its advertising practices is McDonalds. McDonalds has been accused of targeting children with its ads and using persuasive techniques to convince them to eat its food. As a result, many kids beg their parents to take them to McDonalds and they end up eating too much junk food. This can lead to obesity and other health problems.

In response to the criticism, McDonalds has made some changes to its advertising practices. For example, it has stopped using Happy Meal toys as an incentive for kids to eat its food. It has also started featuring healthier foods in its ads and changed its Happy Meal menu to include more healthy options. While these changes are a step in the right direction, some people believe that they are not enough and that McDonalds should do more to combat childhood obesity.

6. The Virtual Image

One of the most harmful effects of advertising is that it creates an unrealistic standard of beauty that is unattainable for most people. We are bombarded with images of perfect bodies, perfect families and perfect lives. These images are often airbrushed and Photoshopped, which create an unrealistic standard of beauty that is unattainable for most people. As a result, people may develop low self-esteem and body image issues.

7. Ads as Propaganda

Advertising can also be used as a form of propaganda. Propaganda is information that is used to promote or publicize a particular cause or point of view. It is often biased or misleading and it can be used to influence people’s opinions and actions.

Advertisers often use propaganda techniques to sell products or promote certain viewpoints. For example, they may use loaded language, emotional appeals or bandwagon appeals to influence people’s opinions or persuade them to buy a product. While these techniques can be effective, they are also unethical because they exploit people’s vulnerabilities and manipulate their emotions.

8. Conclusion Advertising plays a significant role in our lives and it is not going away anytime soon

FAQ

---

More Related papers

• Phillis Wheatley: The First African American to Publish a Literary Book
• The Different University Neighborhoods of Minneapolis: A Comparison of Safety, Affordability, and Amenities
• Nuclear Terrorism: Risks, Consequences, and Response
• American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century
• The Importance of Critical Thinking