In this article, we take a jaundiced look at advertising, and contrast the espoused goals of the discipline with a critical alternative view. Our intention is to elicit debate around a subject that is so pervasive in our society, that it takes a radical alternative perspective to see the subject anew. To paraphrase an old adage: A fish discovers water only after finding air.Advertising is an essential tool of modern marketing. According to the world's number one marketing text, "Advertising is any paid form of nonpersonal presentation of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor" (Kotler, 2004, p. 590).
To that we might add, advertising's intention maybe to inform, persuade or remind those within a target audience (Kotler, 2004, p. 91). Ads are generally seen as a cost-effective way to disseminate messages-whether to build brand preference or educate people (Kotler, 2004, p. 590). This definition is by no means unique; indeed, most advertising and marketing texts view and define advertising in similar ways. This designation of advertising certainly reflects the `claimed' desire of most marketing practitioners to communicate openly and honestly with consumers. Indeed, the law in most countries forbids false or deceptive advertising. Marketers justify advertising by arguing that advertising is intrinsic to markets and fundamentally beneficial to the customer.
Yet, there is an enigma at the heart of advertising: If advertising has the purpose of informing people, informed consumers will make more rational decisions. If consumers are fully informed, they make more optimal decisions, and markets will become increasingly efficient. Ultimately, in efficient markets, the only thing that customers need to make their decisions is price, since price carries all the information. Thus, advertising becomes redundant. Yet often, as markets become more competitive, efficient advertising actually increases! Thus, we might surmise that advertising is not about informing customers, nor it is about making market more efficient for the benefit of customers. |
