Advertising Informs to Our Benefit Essay

The two articles “You’re soaking in it” by Pozner, and “How Advertising Informs to our Benefit” by Calfee, offer two very different takes on the effects of advertising. Pozner claims that movies and TV shows have become a new medium for companies to present their ads. She goes on saying how these companies exploit their audiences by portraying a fictional society. Although she is very critical, I agree with her, that ads such as Nike sneaker one saying how our product will always be there and at the same time never judge you.

I feel this is a very common tactic in the ad business and can sometimes remove consumers from reality.

Furthermore she is very critical of relationships portrayed in today’s ads. I agree that ads predominately focused on using strictly sex appeal and unemotional bonds between the models can provide its viewers with misconceptions that over time are actually accepted to be true. This problem is one she takes very seriously to be harming our children.

Speaking from a feminist’s perspective she deals predominantly with the effects on women and whenever she touches on men, it is only to describe how they are damaging women. On the contrary, Calfee presents a positive light on the world of advertising.

While its clear that companies number one goal is to make money, the way in which the ads are constructed can be beneficial to consumers. By describing effects that products offer, consumers in a sense become educated on the product. I like how Calfee mentions the transition taken place within ads. More than ever, companies are moving from describing the positives to why their product is “less-bad” than their competitors. This results in open knowledge describing the harmful effects of the product. Furthermore the back and forth competition between companies will lead to lower prices for consumers.