SUBIECTUL 30 WHAT DOES ADVERTISING ( = reclame, publicitate)

MEAN TO YOU : INFORMATION OR MANIPULATION ? GIVE ARGUMENTS

TO SUPPORT YOUR IDEAS.
In my opinion advertising implies both keeping people informed and
manipulating them. It is obvious that advertising is necessary to make products known
and help people select the ones they need. But modern society has turned into a consumer
society (=societate de consum) where advertising creates artificial needs, ensuring (=to
ensure = a asigura ) demand ( = cerere) for mass produced goods (= bunuri produse in
serie ).
The purpose of advertising is to sell to the greatest number of customers.
(= clienti). To this end, it must be persuasive (=convingatoare), it must attract and retain
attention. Posters, road signs, the display of goods in shop windows are traditional means
of advertising. Nowadays, a wide use is made of the mass-media (i.e. the press, TV and
radio ). Thus most TV and radio programs are interrupted by commercials and
newspapers are covered with ads praising the merits of goods and services. By appealing
to our senses, feelings, frustrations and yearnings(=aspirations), by taking advantage of
our shortcomings, advertising turns us into compulsive buyers, which means we buy a lot
of goods we do not necessarily need and the only reason we buy them is because we see
them advertised and the advertisement has succeeded in catching our eye.
Advertising has become intrusive and dishonest. Ads (=reclame) are everywhere,
they have invaded our lives. People are exposed to hundreds of ads everyday wherever
they go, whenever they switch on the TV, radio, even the computer or when they read a
newspaper or a magazine. Moreover ads have been placed on objects we see or use
everyday : the sides of taxis, the backs of bus tickets, post-lamps, paving stones etc. Ads
try to convince us that we wont buy a simple product or service. We will buy a
completely new lifestyle, the product or service will bring a change in our life, we will be
part of a selected elite. Advertisers manipulate our frustrations, our secret desires, our
naivety.
Children and teenagers are the most frequent victims of unscrupulous advertisers.
Certain ads deliberately encourage children to pester their parents to buy things they do
not need and cannot afford, such as expensive toys, expensive clothes. Ads may induce a
false set of values, a distorted outlook on how people should look or behave. For instance
many famous persons, especially actors and sportsmen, are paid to advertise products that
teenagers will definitely want to buy to look like or resemble their idols, to show off in
front of their peers.
Advertising cannot be banned ( = interzisa) but dishonest, misleading advertising
could and should be banned. Advertisers might argue that they only do the job they are
paid for and they cannot be held responsible for the quality of the products or services
they are paid to advertise. I think this is a wrong attitude and advertisers should face the
reality that they have the power to manipulate public opinion and this goes with a lot of
responsibility.