Media Pitfalls

Jasmin Obadencio
December 6, 2011
RFD2


Media Pitfalls


Society is persuaded by a number of factors, particularly in the mass media. We are faced with the pros and cons of each, but these ads do more then just advertising. They also put pressure on our self-image and self esteem. Society was born with advertising and we rely on it for information. [THESIS] Yet, the extent of publicizing ads, has taken a grasp on the vast majority to morph into the media’s image. Therefore, ads have a negative impact on consumers. [THESIS]

“ Ads have become so integrated into our environment and culture that many people accept the messages without thinking” (Gushiken). In this quote, she brings out how easy it is for a person to be fooled. Also, how we are all not reading between the lines. Looking into an ad helps you understand a lot with what the advertisement ignored to tell you. We let ads guide our sense of direction, and hope to gain acknowledgment from others. The error occurs when we go by our first instinct without consideration. “Ads often exaggerate in order to impress their viewers” (Lee). This expresses exactly what ads are doing. Enthusiastically, they want you to believe what you see. They arouse your interest and play at what makes people feel good. Commercials get to us all the time, its willpower that we need to not let it shape us.

Even though the good side of media has its benefits, the bad will inevitably always play a bigger role. One person might outsmart the media, but there are a million others who succumb to it. It’s definitely an effective way to promote, but it doesn’t outweigh the ads that consumers feed on. Last week, I came across a commercial on YouTube. It starts with a woman in a bathing suit running through the forest. Seconds later, more women in bathing suits are racing her. In the mean time, women are swimming across the ocean and others are climbing down the rocks. In the last fifteen seconds of the commercial, there’s a guy with just shorts on standing on the beach with axe in both hands spraying all over himself. Seeing the mass of women in bathing suits running to him from all angles, his eyes widen and a big smile forms on his face, continuing to spray himself with axe. Then closing his eyes, he puts his head up, arms opened wide. The commercial cuts off when the masses of women are closing down on him in the matter of seconds. Finally ends with a quote, “spray more, get more, the Axe effect.” The type of fallacy this ad demonstrates is Non Sequitor because women, particularly attractive, have nothing to do with axe. The method they used was to exaggerate the greatness of Axe. Promoting Axe in such a way only appeals to men in an unbehavioral manner. Of course consumers are going to get it, almost every one of their commercials have women being strongly attached to the scent. I like to say Axe commercials promote what every women wants on a man, which isn’t true. Also, the commercial is judgmental only because they used what would attract consumers, which are attractive women. Its all about being fit to look good and not disappoint viewers, then getting rewarded afterwards.

Comparing the past with today, the media has tripled in their resources. Now you can be informed no matter where you are. In the past, I remember advertisements were kept simple and easily accessible. As the years progressed, the media flourished unambiguously to more entertainment, informative, and humor. Sometimes we become copycats from images in magazines, billboards, and other picture perfect models. Don’t get me wrong, we all love entertainment and humor. However, the way it’s displayed, consumers drift towards costly accessories to get expected results advertised. It then becomes, “ I want this because it will make me look better like the woman in the commercial.” Nonetheless, what you see is not always the results you get. Burger King commercials are a good example. In it, they display big juicy burgers that look mouth watering, but then when you go to buy it, the burger looks skimpy. Again, it’s not what you anticipated because you judged by the commercial that exaggerated a thick juicy burger. It’s the wants the media concentrates on, and with no self-control there’s flaws.

Wherever we are, there are advertisements from billboards, commercials, radio, newspapers and numerous other mediums. Most of it is gossip, some recalling tragic events, and a big one we all are suckered in, ads promoting image. We need to step back and realize these ads have special effects added to them, and those models that are skinny with flawless skin are paid to impose a picture perfect advertisement. Ads can also be unhealthy. Between home and my workplace, I drive past five fast food restaurants in a 5-minute time span. Just recently, my friend mentioned that her cigarettes are now ten dollars each. Those that promote “tobacco is unhealthy” are not going to solve the problem by raising the cost of tobacco. The same goes for alcohol. It’s an addiction, once hooked on it’s difficult to quit. Anti-smoking ads can help some, but not the vast majority. With undeveloped maturity, children are oblivious to the realm of technology. Not only the adults are obese, children are getting obese and sucked in video games as early as five years old. Adults perceive things on a higher level of understanding, and children have no way of knowing right from wrong. With parenting and support, it can help guide them to know the truth. However, even with extensive support, children will still step into their own thinking. We cannot prevent them from what they see and hear, but we can help them come to their senses. With consideration, we all need to be our own investigator in perceiving right from wrong. Ads will continue to flourish, but we can depict our needs, and not our wants.

Altogether, the media through advertisements and commercials will continue to put “ad-pressure” on consumers. It doesn’t make us a better person, but instead a naïve individual. Pulling yourself back from all that and doing research, prospers your awareness for certain aspects of every ad heard and seen. Advertisements are a negative influence on us all as a whole.



Gushiken, Tiffany. “ Ads Pros and Cons.” Online Posting 23 Sep. 2011. Laulima Discussion. https://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal/site/KAP.XLSENG215js.201210/page/70638c63-3d48-4275-828a-7e37acace01e.

Lee, Carmen. “Ads Pros and Cons.” Online Posting Sep. 2011. Laulima Discussion
https://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal/site/KAP.XLSENG215js.201210/page/70638c63-3d48-4275-828a-7e37acace01e.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9tWZB7OUSU. “The Axe Effect-Women-Billions.” You Tube. 3 Oct 2006. Web. 29 Sep. 2011.