One of the earliest definitions of advertising was “the dissemination of information concerning any idea, service or product to compel action in accordance with the interest of the advertiser”.
Advertisers and advertising agencies believe that customers have needs and desires which can be fulfilled through the purchase and use of the products and services. Advertisers work largely through appeal of the emotions, envy, fear, anxiety, and consciousness of one’s appearance and status. As we trace back to the history and development of advertisement we see that advertisers have thought of themselves as top-down communicators, in control of what information is to be released to whom and when. The channels of communication were decided by the producers through various media outlets. The development of diverse products and its marketization boosted the various advertising agencies.
In today’s fast growing world, everything keeps changing and in such scenario, advertisement is one agent that plays a crucial role in keeping the audience updated and motivating to buy different products. Through advertisement we buy products to eat, wear and apply but often we end up buying an image, feeling and security. The message from various advertising mediums influences the attitudes and behavior of the audience. We cannot completely say that advertisements are no good as it in a way inform and educate the viewers in diverse ways but there is also the need to look beyond the outer appearance of advertisement in order to become critical and wise consumers and save our self from being trapped.
In advertisement, agenda setting plays a major role in determining on how to be prepared, presented and consumed. Information is presented to users with the system of marketing that is personally tailored to the audience. The target of advertisement is based on the identity, interest, psychographic data, peer network and location of the consumers. Psychology has played a major role in advertising strategy. Advertising and market researchers exploit the psychology of the audience for commercial purposes and to investigate the consciousness of consumers. Through better placement of advertisements to targeted audiences, monitoring behaviors via social media will help the companies or distributors for better implementation. Abstract advertising plays a major role in modern life. It shapes the attitudes of the society and the individual and inevitably influences the behavior of the customer. The most important task for a business advertising itself is to present its product in such a manner that the whole environment around the buyer turns into a positive emotional stimulus. The main goal of advertising a certain product or service is to attract the customer’s attention and analyze the impact of advertising on customer behavior which is determined by a multitude of aspects.
Advertising ads persuade their targeted groups through the display of cheap, colorful, speed or quick relief advertisements for attraction and action. The products are also advertised through popular figures from the world of music, sports, fashion and film industry in order to convince the viewers. Advertisers want people not only to like the brands and product groups they put up for sale but to believe in the economic system that underlies the idea that “to consume is good”. Without much regard for environmental or social consequences, advertisers try to turn media audience into consumers. Advertisers are exploring the creative potential of proliferating channels and networked devices to reach and engage the consumers. National advertisers and global brands are the main proponents of creative and persuasive advertising. They are compelled to develop innovative marketing communication strategies that offer varied choices and are channeled through all forms of electronic media. They are looking for new ways to reach distracted, distrustful and disinterested consumers. In order to avoid being a cause of irritation and interruption, many of the advertisers creatively embed their message in media flows and experience that consumers will actively seek out. Classically, ads are about rewards and punishment - it is good to purchase but it is bad not to purchase based on the core values of family, self- image, status and so on. It is common to see adverts invoking needs or anxieties which can only be satisfied by purchase.
Therefore, in the context of such existing manipulative expansion of advertising industry, there is an urgent need for awareness among the viewers and consumers not to remain passive. We are to be aware of the various persuasive tactics of advertisers so that the list of our needs remain in balance. Advertisement can spell us at any time through different mediums. In such a state, we should adapt critical consciousness and open our eyes and mind and face the reality and not just remain emerged in the fantasized world of advertisement.
Imtiwala Imchen CTC, Aolijen, Mokokchung
