Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Opinion
 

Forum Friday: What is the current state of advertising in our society?

How 'bout them ads?

Undoubtedly, ads have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, but for better or worse? Many say they could live without them, but then who'd tell us what laundry detergent to buy? Ads appeal to need to display social status, drink even more.

What disturbs me most about commercials isn't what the advertisers are telling me about their products; it's what they're telling me about what people want. If there were ever a perfectly broad, representative market audience in the United States, it would be the Super Bowl's, and judging from this year's game, conspicuous consumption is alive and well in this fair nation. New, slick, thin cell phones are making us look more important than ever. Trucks can drive through more and more rugged terrain, though, of course, they never will. Cheap, watered-down alcohol is as plentiful as ever. And through the miracle of cosmetics and advancements in the food industry, anyone -- even you -- can be pretty. If Thorstein Veblen were alive today, he'd be unsurprised, to say the least. -- James Davis

Ads may be insulting but, apparently, we need them

During last week's Super Bowl, advertisements were sold at $2.4 million per 30 seconds. It's mind boggling, to say the least, but companies must think they are having an effect on viewers to spend so much. A disgusting waste of time, commercials appeal to vanity and impulsiveness. Who grows up and decides that he wants to pursue a career in advertising, by the way? When do you make the decision that you want to spend your life treating the public like puppies, waving shiny products in their faces and telling them to fetch with their wallets? It's the advertisement industry that controls television shows and decides which programs stay on the air by choosing to sponsor them. So you can thank them for Freddy, According to Jim, Two and a Half Men, Fear Factor, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The View, Maury Povich, any entertainment "news" show and MTV. Advertisements today are patronizing and demeaning, but they must be doing something right if they are willing to spend $80,000 a second to air them. -- David Salinas

"Psych!" freebies don't make up for relentless infiltration

Advertisement has crossed all bounds. It's to the point where everywhere you look, you're viewed as part of a market. Advertisers market to college students directly, whether it's by handing out "free" T-shirts when you sign up for a credit card you don't need or by getting dog tags from the U.S. Army. Even though we think we get something for free, we never really do. We end up paying through our time, or worse, our e-mail or phone so the advertisers can keep contacting us. What I love is that advertisement isn't contained in advertising segments in the media. It's embedded in the content. The half-time show for any game is sponsored by some company; NASCAR is probably the best example of advertising there is. Thousands of people watch logos race by over and over. Advertising does have benefits in that it keeps products free, but anything beyond that scope is not necessary. -- Adil Saleem

Are ad executives not getting any? What's the deal?

Note to advertising executives: Though sex may sell, a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, advertisers have been focusing too much on this old adage lately, placing too many scandalous ad campaigns on our airwaves. Carl's Jr., for example, went over the edge trying to promote their new Spicy Burger with the help of sex kitten Paris Hilton. Clad in a skintight swimsuit, rubbing against a sudsy Bentley, Hilton takes a bite of said burger. Now tell me, who was really craving a burger after watching that striptease? Have we not already seen enough of Hilton's skin, what with her lovely Internet debacle and her permanent place in the tabloids? Too many advertisers are depending too much on sex to sell their products or -- forgive the pun -- services. Some ads, such as Dove's campaign for self-esteem, express positive messages that reach far more viewers. Dove's commercial touches people's hearts and not their you-know-whats. -- Robyn Morrow

Mighty morphin' ads have come a long way

Advertising is the cornerstone of the capitalist society we live in today. Over the years, advertising has evolved from word of mouth, like "Hey Cletus, Jethro down there has himself some real fine chickens," to multi-million-dollar, 30-second spots during the Super Bowl (Go Steelers!). There seems to be more commercials on television today than actual programs. I cannot watch a show with my 4-year-old son without him seeing 13 commercials and wanting everything he sees. The same is true for my 19-year-old brother and my grandparents. (The funny thing is, they all want the same thing: Power Rangers costumes). Advertising is what makes the world go round, and as long as there are Sonic commercials involving the word "tater-tot-aterian," then I definitely do not want to fall off. -- Jude Maydwell

Having us pegged is no reason to peg us over

Advertising runs our society, so it is no surprise we always pay attention to it. Advertising has so much control because the companies that control these ads pretty much have society pegged. They know if they want to get a man to buy a product, they have to make it seem like an aphrodisiac -- just watch any of the Axe Deodorant Body Spray commercials. If they want a woman to buy a certain product, they have to make it seem like a must-have. Even if it is not beneficial, they will buy it because they don't want to be without the new "hot" product. Few of us worry about our essential needs anymore; everything is about status. Advertising is just another way the media has a hold on us. In addition to getting inside our heads, it is taking our hard-earned dollars. -- Ariner Graham
 

Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu