Question

Is advertising a positive or socially desirable aspect of our economic system?

Answer 1

The basic motive of advertising is to reach out to the consumers with the offerings in the market. It is undertaken to target and attract the Public to indulge in the purchase, thereby supporting the selling activity by help pushing the sales of the product. Having said that, one should also know that be it by puffery, promotion by celebrities or giving away freebies with the products, these are ways to urge the consumers to buy the products, irrespective of whether the need actually be or not. It attempts to manipulate the minds in a manner that the consumers feel to give it a try. In this way, advertising facilitates the creation of favorable picture of the product or the service on the minds of the consumers. It further also helps in spreading awareness of the introduction of a new product in the market. But one cannot actually evade the chances of manipulation in the activity completely. There is quite a scope for the same, thereby aiding in surviving in the midst of intense competition in an industry. However, when the intention is to improve the goodwill and image of the Company by responsibly marketing the products offered by such a Company, the tendency of manipulation may be relatively low as well. So basically, it is subjective but certainly one of the motives of most of the advertisers.

Therefore, to the extent the advertising is clean and free from deliberate manipulations and unethical practices, advertising could certainly be a positive and socially desirable aspect of our economic system because it facilitates the generation of demand in the market, buying and selling of goods and thereby infusing money in the system, besides the flow of goods. Moreover, advertising helps in creating brand awareness and brand affiliation among the consumers in the society and in this way, it becomes a socially desirable aspect as well of our economic system.