The Effects of Advertisements

1. THE EFFECTS OF
ADVERTISEMENT
Aniket Singh Chauhan | 19/564

2. CULTURE
Advertisements are always a reflection of the cultural diversity of a
nation. This is exactly the reason why an advertisement for an
international brand like McDonald’s is different in India and the US.
Subsequently, more the people relate to an advertisement, more it is
successful. Therefore in making an advertisement, understanding the
culture and related practices of the target audience is very important.

3. POSTIVE ASPECTS
• An advertisement helps in highlighting and celebrating cultural diversity.
Therefore, advertisements serve as the flag bearer of various cultural
aspects of a society. The best example of which are various Tourism ads
like Rajasthan Tourism, Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Incredible India.
• Apart from this, advertisements also help to propagate religious and social
harmony. For instance, brand ad campaigns like Surf Excel’s “Daag Achhe
Hai” and Brooke Bond Red Label’s “Swad Apne Pan Ka”, have used such
ideas time and again.

5. NEGATIVE ASPECTS
• Coming to the negative aspects, sometimes many advertisements
propagate cultural values that are not accepted or held with pride
socially. Such a practice often results in calls of boycott.
• Apart from this, certain brands in the fray of showing cultural and
religious harmony tend to disrespect or hurt sentiments of their
consumers as well as showing one religious group to be more secular
than the other. Which is why cultural ads tend to tread on a thin
thread.
• Examples of such ads are Meat and Livestock Australia’s “You Never
Lamb Alone” wherein Hindu deity, Lord Ganesh was shown eating lamb.
Another example is Javed Habib’s print ad which featured Hindu gods
getting a haircut at the a Javed Habib Saloon.

7. SOCIAL
Advertisements are a great way of highlighting as well as addressing
social evils. Social Ads not only bring various social issues to limelight but
have also helped in stopping them.
However, there are also examples wherein such ads have not only
aggravated social evils but also created several social stereotypes.

8. POSTIVE ASPECTS
• A Social advertisement helps in bringing out social issues or evils in front
of a large audience, this helps in creating consciousness about a particular
issue. Such ads focus on bringing a change in the society.
• Organisations including various Governments and NGOs, use ads to
increase awareness about certain policies, schemes, programs, etc.
• For instance, World Wildlife Fund’s ad campaign centered around the
depleting Indian Lion population, helped bringing in focus to the
aforementioned issue. Apart from this, HUL’s “Start a Little Good”
campaign, highlighted the issue of water wastage in urban areas.

10. NEGATIVE ASPECTS
• Many advertisement, in the fray of imparting social messages, do all the more
damage. Subsequently, many ads delve deep into complex socio -political
issues and end up palliating them.
• For example, Pepsi’s “Live Bolder” Campaign which features Kendall Jenner,
showed her sharing a Pepsi with police officer thereby ending a protest.
According to many, this advertisement undermined the sacrifices, including
that of life, given by several activists through history
• Certain ad campaigns, while addressing common yet harmful social practices
like overworking, violate several social norms and thus offend its target
audience. A great example is Jack & Jones ad featuring Ranveer Singh, which
implied that women are just objects and should be treated as “work”.

12. PSYCHOLOGICAL
Many ad campaigned aim to create an affect on the
psychology of a person. This not only helps to establish a
brand as the flag bearer of certain values and ideologies but
also increases their sales tremendously.
However, at times, all these ads are able to do is leave a
negative impact on the consumers mind.

13. POSTIVE ASPECTS
• While there are many potential psychological elements to incorporate, the use
of emotions, persuasion and authority, memories, and colors are a few of the
more common ones.
• The customer has to contend with a huge amount of information and be able
to make a choice, draw conclusions and make important decisions. Thus a
good ad will not only make a person’s life easier but more convenient as it
helps them in making better decisions.
• Mahindra & Mahindra’s ‘Live Young, Live Free’ ads propagate not just their brand
philosophy but also associated activities like off-roading and adventure to the brand.
The ad embodies the emotions of freedom and adventure, and thus creates a
psychological impact that not only motivates people to buy Mahindra SUVs but also test
them to their limits. Another example is Pan Bahar Pan Masala, which associates
sophistication with its brand.

15. NEGATIVE ASPECTS
• Certain advertisements, in their sole pursuit of higher sales, tend to support and
even promote social stigmas as well as prejudices.
• Such prejudices may include color, race, appearance, gender, social roles, etc.
Apart from this, seeing these kinds of ads can embed the aforementioned in young
minds which may never be able to get rid of them.
• HUL’s Fair & Lovely (Now Glow & Lovely), has been in the news for many of its ad
campaigns. In one such ad, we can see the model’s expression change from that of
sadness to happiness while her dark skin colour transitions to a fair one. The ad
not only creates a negative psychological impact towards dark skins but also
publicizes the message that dark skinned people are not complete and happy.
• Another great example is Charminar Cigarette. This ad promotes toxic masculinity
and labels its customers as alpha males.

17. ECONOMICAL
Every advertisement’s destiny is to increase sales of a
product by helping customers make a better choice. Ads
increase competition which ultimately benefits the
consumers.
However, certain ads also aim at exploiting the customer
and virtually forcing them to buy a product.

18. POSTIVE ASPECTS
• It provides useful information to consumers that tells them about product and
service choices as well as comparing features, benefits and prices.
• Advertising supports the core principles that shaped our nation: free speech,
competition, and democracy. The Advertising industry is expected contribute
₹1,33,921 crore, directly to the economy, by 2025. While its indirect impact is way
bigger.
• In 2022, the number of people employed in the advertising industry is estimated
to reach around 37.4 thousand across India.
• Certain ads also guide the customers in making a better choice and thus leading a
better as well as amore sustainable life. Ads like PCRA’s ( Petroleum Conservation
Research Association) “Save Money yaani Save Fuel” and AMFI’s (Association for
Mutual Funds in India) “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai” are well-known examples.

20. NEGATIVE ASPECTS
• Ads have negative impact on rivals’ sales and share. Rivals advertising effort
tend to conceal each other out. This leads to ad wars and thus demotes
consumerism.
• Certain ads also force customers to spend unnecessarily on various products
and subsequently motivates them to flaunt or show-off their purchases.
Additionally brands like Zomato openly endorses giving in to your temptations
as well as cravings and eating junk food.
• Apart from this other ads like that of Burger King UK’s social media ad not
only promotes flaunting but also connects the terms ‘woke’ and ‘rebel’
with a burger. The ad also tries to convey the consumers to spend their
money if they are/want to be woke or rebellious.