Advertising is a dual force in society, providing economic growth, consumer information, and social change while simultaneously creating false needs and increasing social disparities. It plays a significant role in shaping lifestyles, public opinions, and even political landscapes, but it can also lead to negative outcomes like materialism and health risks. The document concludes that while advertising is essential, it requires careful consumption of messages and regulatory oversight to mitigate its detrimental effects.

1. ADVERTISING AS A NEGATIVE
AND POSITIVE SOCIAL FORCE
Instructor
Dr. Saima Kausar

2. Definition
 Advertising is a paid form of mass communication
that consists of the special message sent by the
specific person (advertiser or company), for the
specific group of people (men, women, youngsters,
kids etc), for the specific period of time, in the
specific manner to achieve the specific goals.

3. Advertising as a Positive Social Force

The impact of advertising on our society are very apparent, vivid, stunning and strong . Advertising plays positive and constructive social and economic role in society, which cannot be ignored or overlooked.

Mass media are used intensively to advertise various products. M

arketing without advertising seems to be impossible. Advertising works like a magic stick to actualize marketing goals!

Advertising roles as a positive social force are as follows.

4. Economic Growth
 Advertising has developed into a billion dollar business. In
2006, 391 billion US dollars were spent worldwide on
advertising alone
 Advertising plays a significant role in the business cycle. It
helps stimulate the economic growth of a country. In a
country in which consumer spending determines the future
of the economy, advertising motivates people to spend
more. By encouraging more buying, advertising promotes
both job growth and productivity growth to help meet
the increased demands and enable each consumer to have
more to spend.

5. Information regarding Distinctive Features of
products
 Advertising provides us the opportunity to choose the most
ideal products or services that best suit our social needs by
helping us to identify the products, teaching the consumer
how to compare each brand, and by creating new trends.
 It gives us information, educates us and it also manages to
entertain everyone. It provides the consumer with valuable
information about the product or a service so you can
make “informed choices” in an efficient and cost effective
manner, comparing features, price factor and other
benefits.

6. Public Service through Ads.
 Public service ads regarding health, safety and
national security. The continuing cancer, drug abuse
and fast drive, Child Abuse, Women Empowerment
awareness campaigns are clear examples of
advertising industry means to promote public
welfare.

7. Social Change
 Freedom of choice and advertising-supported
entertainment, which is often a promoter of social
change, are two important components of society
that are both promoted through advertising.

8. Company Image/Brand Image
 Advertising do affect the ways in which companies
are viewed by distributors and retailers. Ads can
influence the investors, salespeople and retailers,
the company will be prosperous.
 Similarly Advertising is the only thing which turn a
product into a BRAND, giving it a new personality.
Increasing sales to another level. So Brand image is
something very important, which is done through
advertising.

9. Job Opportunities
 In addition, advertising can help create more jobs.
As the demand for products and services goes up
because of advertising, more people are needed to
manufacture, supply, ship and test those products
and services. Thus, more jobs are created.

10. Better quality, Low Price
 Advertising has also speeded the introduction of
useful inventions. It has spread markets, reduced the
price of goods, accelerated turnover and has
increased competition.
 Due to this increased awareness and cut-throat
competition many good quality products are
available in reasonable price. As they have to
consider the fact that their competitors are offering
same quality product in low price that exerts
downward pricing pressures.

11. Agricultural development
 Further, advertising has a definite role to play in
rural development, as in Agricultural countries
advertising has made some progress in this direction
as well. Advertisements of fertilizers, pesticides,
farming equipment, and cattle feed, etc. have
reached rural market successfully., and raising the
living standards of millions plus increasing the
productivity as compare to the past.

12. Acculturation/Cultural Mix
 Advertising can override cultural differences and
contribute to those cultures in a positive way by
exchanging and inculcating some good attributes of
another culture. It can somehow change some
stereotypical thoughts and may bring positive
changes in culture.

13. Political Campaigns
 Political advertisements and Political campaigns
provide information to the audience and give an
overview of Politicians past performance and future
agenda. They also get idea of the political choices
available to them and choose the ones that they
find best.

14. Saves Money
 Advertising is a major industry. It saves consumers
money by informing them about sales, Promotional
offers etc. People can buy same quality products on
low price during sales and promotions. This
information is reached to audience through
advertisements.

15. Improved Life style
 Advertising has played significant role in improving
people’s life style. People are now leading
improved life style and are more conscious about
how they live and what is the standard of their
living. Dressing, eating habits, architecture of their
houses, latest furniture and other electronic devices
are much better and improved.

16. Health and hygiene conscious
 There are various ads which merely talk about
personal hygiene washing hands, drinking boiled
water, not to use used syringes etc.
 Advertising has inculcate these things in people’s
mind, which definitely is making a difference.

17. Advertising as a Negative Social Force
 While advertising can be seen as necessary for
economic growth, it is not without social costs.. That
means the ultimate goal of advertising is to
increase the advertiser's sales.
 “Every coin has two sides”
 There are various negative social impact on lives.

18. False Need
 “Advertising is the art of convincing people to
spend money they don’t have for something they
don’t need.”
 Will Rogers
 that it hales the public to buy things that they are
not their real want. Assorted techniques are used
for advertising which persuades the consumers that
why they need the product which is being
advertised, thus generating False needs.

19. Increasing Inferiority Complex
 Advertising frequently uses psychological pressure
(for example, appealing to feelings of inadequacy,
Less than Perfect Appeal) on the intended consumer,
which may be harmful as such techniques generate
a feeling of being inferior which leads to other
psychological disorders, and undermines peoples’
confidence.

20. Increased Gaps in upper and deprived class
 Though it is largely an urban phenomenon, the same
commercial advertisements on television reach rural
areas and can have disturbing effects on rural
people, where wants are encouraged, whose
appetite for luxury goods and services is whetted.
In such scenario, upper class become more and
more improved and refined in terms of life style
whereas deprived class gets more n more
complexed and disturbed.

21. Status Consciousness
 Products are increasingly being positioned as status
symbols. Thus making people more and more
materialistic and status conscious. Such things
change the overall pattern of society and change
people’s perception regarding good and bad.

22. Boosting products Price
 The major economic negative aspect of advertising
is that it boosts the price of goods and services. The
source of this contention is that, when organizations
subsidize the mass media with advertising, we, the
purchaser, subsidize advertising by compensating a
grossly increased price for heavily advertised
goods and services.

23. Misrepresentation
 Advertising aims to present a product in the best
light possible. And all the unique features and
qualities of a product is highlighted. The problem
arises when the dramatization crosses the line into
falsely representing a product just to increase the
sale. This deception may lead people to take wrong
choices.

24. Lying to Customers
 Company can exaggerate certain features of their
products or they can make vague and ambiguous
claims that sound good. Of course any negative
features of the product wont be mentioned.
Advertisements can be deceitful, especially for
younger population who spends days in front of TV
screen and watch these ads.

25. False Images
 Advertising influences how people feel about
themselves—often in a negative way.
 Advertising lead people to attain perfection in
order to attain people’s attraction. These images
are often unrealistic and unattainable. But people
stop loving their personalities and stop focussing on
the qualities, they are bestowed with, rather they
start striving to attain that perfect physical
appearance, which is not actually “everything”.

26. Unrealistic Expectations
 Advertisments sometimes make huge claims.
Particularly when talking about health/physical
related items. It increases people’s unrealistic
expectations. Thus leading a society more confused
and mentally and physically sick.
 Disclaimers are often hidden in very small print on
product packaging and out-of-the way spots in ads.

27. Promotion of Harmful Products
 Widespread concern exists about the potential effects of
tobacco advertising, many food items which are highly
injurious, unhealthy and unsafe for people. But people are
misguided through advertisements. That’s why now
people’s life style has changed so much affecting their
health so badly. People have now increased risk of
cancer,obesity, hearth diseases, allergies and other
problems. The reason is products like soft drinks, fast food,
cooking oils, plastic products like toys, candies, chocolates,
noodles etc. there are manyy items which should be
banned because its affecting our society very badly.

28. Environment Threats
 Capitalist firms usually create the demand for their
products by various marketing techniques.
Advertising plays an essential role in increasing
consumerist demand of products packed in plastic
bottles and plastic bags which ultimately pollute
environment and which is totally violating the
conditions for maintenance of planetary ecological
equilibrium.

29. Conclusion
 This is a hard core reality that advertising has both positive and
negative roles to perform. And its impacts are very deep
rooted as it is changing over all societal culture, generating new
needs, improving life style, increasing political, social and
political awareness, boosting economy and breaking
stereotypical thoughts but at the same time just for earning
more profit many such products are promoted which are either
low quality products or are unhealthy. In such scenario people
should be smart and intelligent to absorb media messages more
wisely and to take right decisions. At the same time some laws
needs to be formulated and strictly implemented so that
people’s money and health may be protected.