While there is debate about the effectiveness of advertising in society, few can escape the reach of advertising in everyday life. In one day at Dominican University, we witness the effects of brand names and advertising in many forms. Upon walking through the doors of Caleruega, the television mounted on the wall introduces the newest cereal from General Mills. The newspaper left on the ground informs me of a sale this weekend at Macy's. The oligopoly of soda is represented in two rows of soft drinks. At the table, word of mouth presents information about the new Apple ipods. The Cingular logo says hello as I make a call after eating. After preparing for class, I delete an email from EBay regarding the new top ten presents for the approaching Christmas season. Aquafina reminds me to "drink more water" as I re-cap the bottle and head to class. My morning had just begun, and already 7 sources of advertising and branding had reached me.
[...] As our society turns more and more to materialism, people want more and more products, and feel they need to have them in order to fit in with the rest of society (Vivian, p. 294-295). In order to figure out what advertisements to place where, and what type of audience to target, advertisers use demographics, geodemographics, and psychographics. Demographics are characteristics of groups within a population which can include gender, age, and political affiliations. This is useful to advertisers so they know what their audience is likely to favor, and who is going to need more persuasion to convince them to buy a certain product. [...]
[...] Some interest groups feel that advertisers should be taxed, because the space ads take in society is a nuisance. The state of Florida tried to enact such a requirement in 1987, but it was repealed after 6 months because of the large-scale loss on commercial interest (Wikipedia). While advertising spots frequently promote their product using means of subjective statements, regulation is supposed to prevent outright lies. Occasionally campaigns will be banned, if the materials deemed inappropriate for the audience likely to be receiving the medium. [...]
[...] Advertising is also used in the public service sector and applies the same techniques commercial ads use. These ads are usually used to educate the public about certain issues, including AIDS, pollution, and political ideology. Howard Gossage said, “Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest - it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.” In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission issues licenses to television and radio stations only if they broadcast a certain amount of public service advertisements (“Advertising- Wikipedia”). [...]
[...] As a brand becomes exposed in the mainstream, more people become familiar with the product, and can help expand the consumer base through word of mouth. Brand names and popular advertisements contribute to cultural assimilation. Brand names become symbols of pop culture. There is always a line for Starbucks coffee in the morning. Brand names are embedded in the minds of consumers, and are loyal to their product, a common element in the lives of many people. Jingles, colorful logos, and mascots are familiar to millions. [...]
[...] Even if ingredients are the same, many are willing to overlook a discount, and return home with the famous names in hand. The aim of brand management is to create an identity for the brand that the consumer identifies with. Those who clean usually have a preference for a certain brand of soap, detergent, or bleach. In the same respect, the man of the house might have a specific brand of power tools that they believe in to get the job done. [...]
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