[OB小组] issue109 广告的作用

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TOPIC: ISSUE109 - "The purpose of many advertisements is to make consumers want to buy a product so that they will 'be like' the person in the ad. This practice is effective because it not only sells products but also helps people feel better about themselves."
WORDS: 778          TIME: 01:05:54          DATE: 2007-8-21 上午 01:09:40

In this issue, the author states that advertisements encourage people to buy a product so they can 'be like' the person in the ad. This makes an ad effective because it not only succeeds in selling but also in helping people feel better about themselves. As far as I am concerned, the consumer can be typically generalized into tree classification: the ones who need and intend to purchase the product, the ones who are not in need yet tempted to buy the product and the ones who have no interests in the products. The effects of an ad differ from the three consumer groups and the author's claim is reasonable to certain extend for a portion of consumers while inapplicable at all for some others.

First of all, for the consumers who intended to by a product, the effects of an corresponding advertisements are mainly to create the buzz to attract the potential buyers' attention. Mostly, consumers will focus on functions, price and appearance to decide whether to make a purchase or not. As these consumers indeed need the product for practical uses, they seldom place the emphasis on the people in the ad. For example, a consumer will not buy a computer because the people in the ad are some super stars if s/he is not a maniac of the celebrities. Instead, s/he would focus on the calculating, graphic and other abilities to measure if the product can meet his/her needs. Such consumeristic psychology is applicable in almost every product concerning practical uses. Even in the cosmetic industry which was once considered to appeal consumers by advertising with some perfect images, buyers today are improving their sense of censure, exploring the real effects of these products through browsing the internet or consulting the ex-users. Although I admit that in the cosmetic ads, subconsciously we are still succumbed to the illusion the advertisements produce somehow by wishing to 'be like' the person in the them, the reality usually teaches us a lesson at last by revealing the ineffectiveness of the products the ads 'promised'. The disappointments of consumers wake them to be more vigilant of the similar products in future and the slight resentments may grow among consumers after being 'duped'. Hence, the power of the alluring images in ads to make people feel better will be gradually weakened.  Therefore, ads can be effective in selling a product as it attract public attentions among the potential buyers, but they can hardly be effective for the purpose of increasing better self-feelings of consumers who are in needs of a product because they will mainly focus on the functions.

Second of all, for the consumers who are not intended to make a purchase, the advertisement if very persuasive are usually attributed to the bargain of the product and the person or scenarios in the ads. People who are not potential buyers get convinced by the ads, in my observation either can not stand the bargain the product offers or are appealed by certain elements in the ads which mostly includes persons or scenarios. The former ones are more common to witness in our daily life because psychologically people do not want to miss the perfect time to buy a product while save money. The latter ones may be comparatively rare but extant. For instance, a super fan of a pop singer are readily to buy the clothes with his/her idol's images on regardless whether s/he needs them or not; a rich man may purchase a expensive watch for some lines in the ads and then use the idea to court woman. The above-mentioned cases may occur because of personal reasons, but trying to be the person in the ad can hardly belongs to the major consumer psychology in this classification. Thus the author's claim that ads help people can feel better since they will 'be like' in the ad are limitedly applicable in this type of consumers.

Finally, for the consumers who show little interests in a product, the ads can merely some information with animated or still pictures. The effects to advertise are of no avail at all. Consider the advertisement of a limo. A 5 years old child will see it as some fancy videos combined with recondite languages rather than the incentive for him/her to buy one.  In short, ads mean trivial to this group of consumers.

In conclusion, the ultimate purpose of advertisements is to encourage people to buy a product. However, the assumed effects that they will make people feel better by providing them the 'would-be' person they may be are hardly noticeable since more consumers are gaining increasing awareness of the exaggerative nature of advertisements.