Advertising today has a wide range of effects on teens. Advertising is all around you and everyone else. It’s in the air, in your magazines, even on your T.V.. How does advertising affect teenagers? Advertising affects teenagers in many ways such as their self-esteem, what they want to buy and how much money they spend. Advertising today focuses mainly on teenagers. Advertising is very clever which is why it has so many effects on teens. Advertising shows teens what they are supposed to be like, how they are supposed to act and what they are supposed to buy.
Advertising can affect self-esteem because if you see a skinny model or pretty celebrity in an advertisement then it makes you feel less confident about the way you look because you don’t look like them. Advertising can make teens want things that may not be good for them such as fizzy pop drinks with caffeine in them which aren’t good for teeth and bones. Advertising also makes teens spend money on things that may not be worth it, e.g., products that appeal to looks rather than performing well.
Advertising is all around you and it affects teenagers in lots of ways such as their self-esteem, what they want to buy and how much money they spend. Advertising makes teens feel less confident about the way they look because they don’t look like models or celebrities in advertisements. Advertising can make teens want things that may not be good for them and also advertising makes them spend money on things that may not be worth it. Advertising is all around you and it has effects on teenagers today in lots of different areas.
Advertising is a major part in the marketing of a product, with companies promoting their products in different ways with the aim to advertise their products effectively. Advertising has been increasingly targeting teens for many years now. Advertising affects teens in a negative way due to its persuasive messages and wrong methods used when advertising. In this paper I will argue that advertisements have a negative influence on teenagers
Advertising consists of messages about goods, services or ideas delivered through various media- including print ads, television (TV) spots, radio ads podcasts, billboards, posters, leaflets and online banner ads or advergames. Advertising can be persuasive; although it does not force consumers to buy the product what advertisers do is use emotional appeals like sex appeal to persuade customers into buying their products by promising them that the product will bring happiness.
Advertising is found to be persuasive due to its nature of delivering attractive imagery and language, which will appeal to teenagers’ needs (Maslow). Advertising uses what is called “branding” where advertisers identify their products or services with an emotional symbol; this brand can become associated with specific qualities, such as status, success, power, sexual attractiveness, etc.
For example, many teens claim themselves to be part of certain brands like Hollister by wearing their clothes thus creating a desirable image for themselves. Advertising also has some indirect effects on teens such as the promotion of unhealthy diets through advertising food high in fat or sugar content, Advertising plays a huge role in consumerism. Teenagers are targeted because they are easily influenced and persuaded, Advertising can influence teens to become materialistic consumers for example they want to own certain things because it’s advertised.
Advertising also influences teens in a negative way as sometimes the use of models in advertising is used wrongly to create desire amongst young girls and boys about their looks leading them into spending more money on beauty products. Advertising has long been criticized and banned from several countries such as Sweden where they have banned gender-specific advertisements.
There are many examples of how advertisements can negatively affect teenagers, for example recently food companies such as Mcdonald’s have been under fire due to their claims that eating their food will result in weight loss.
Advertising is not the only way for marketers to make sales; they also use coupons, word of mouth support (from friends and family), placement (i.e. putting products in high traffic areas to get them noticed like at the end of an aisle), and many other strategies to get consumers interested in their product(s). Advertising is just one aspect that can help improve a company’s profit margin.
There are multiple studies done on advertising and teens, but there is insufficient evidence proving that advertisers have long-term effects on teenagers’ decision making abilities. However, many people do believe advertisements influence adolescent’s behavior much more than adults’ because teenagers tend to be more vulnerable when it comes to buying certain things or trying out something new.
Advertising agencies use a variety of techniques to get the attention of their target audiences, which are usually teens. This can be done by using certain colors, images, or symbols that appeal specifically to teens. The main idea is for teenagers’ instincts and emotions take over as they look at an ad and it makes them want to buy the product displayed.
Marketers also utilize specific times in their ads because teens usually have a different schedule than adults do. Advertising agencies advertise during shows that have higher teen viewership, such as Saturday morning cartoons or Disney channel TV shows because these types of programs have a strong influence on how teenagers see themselves and what they think is cool. For instance, advertisers know better than to place ads during news programs because this type of program does not appeal to teens on a regular basis.
Advertising agencies also place billboards at popular teen hangouts like the mall, local restaurants, and movie theatres because this is where they know teens will be looking around or just passing by. Ads are placed in magazines that teens may be reading on the toilet or while their parents are busy doing other things. Advertising agencies target teenagers with billboards, magazine ads, newspapers, TV commercials, radio spots, etc…
Advertisers use movies and blockbuster films to advertise certain products shocking audiences when they see “Energizer Bunny” (brand of battery) running through famous scenes from “Forrest Gump”, “Titanic”, “Gremlins”, etc… These types of ads are used to grab the attention of people who were too young when these movies came out in theaters, but suddenly they’re teenagers and all grown up.
Advertising agencies use a girl that looks like a teenager because this is what teens relate to. The media has a strong influence on teenagers because teens want to fit in and be just like everyone else around them, so advertisers know this and try their best to get their message across using certain images or techniques that will attract teens’ attention easily.
