DISADVATAGES OF ADVERTISING

Advertising is a means of communication with the users of a product or service. Though advertising
seems like a boon, advertising comes with a number of disadvantages. Some of the disadvantages of
advertising are as follows:

1. COST:
One strong objection to advertising is that it is a costly function. The high cost of advertising is
covered by increasing the selling price of the advertised goods. Advertisement is an indirect cost
which is added into distribution expenses. When expenses increase, the selling price of the products
will also increase. Advertising is a significant part of cost; large advertisers spend thousands of
Rupees a week for advertising. One study found that advertising cost exceeded 6% of sales.
Advertising means that consumers will have to pay higher prices for advertised products. But if the
goods are not advertised, the cost of advertising cannot become a burden on the consumer. Because
unbalanced advertising causes certain goods to cost the consumers more than they should, it is an
economic waste.

2. UNDERMINES SOCIAL VALUES:

Advertisement is a sort of day-dreaming for the people. These days it is taking the people away from
reality and into the realm of artificiality. Through its medium people get information about new
products. Only very few products are of any use for them. The brilliance of new products really gets
on their nerves. They want to buy them but have no resources at their command. Consequently,
they start feeling upset with their present status. Taking it as a social evil, it can be said that
advertisement undermines social values.

3. ENCOURAGES SALE OF INFERIOR PRODUCTS:

Every manufacturer projects his product as superior one in the advertisement. Therefore, the buyer
is unable to decide as to which product is really good. Consequently, it is difficult to get good quality
product even after paying a handsome price for it. If a seller gets good price for some inferior
product, it becomes a habit with him. It affects other sellers also. Therefore, it is said that
advertisement encourages the sale of inferior products.

4. ADVERTISING REINFORCES STEREOTYPES:

It reduces people or objects into classes based on inferences that are made from an individual or
social context, like “all professors are absent-minded”, “all blonds are dumb”, etc. Industry says that
they merely reflect society’s attitudes. Evidence suggests that advertising generally lags behind
social trends rather than shaping them. The depiction of working woman has been shown too late.
The new Series of 13 TV ads promoting Tata Docomo’s network connectivity with a tagline ‘no
getting away’ – released across national channels – is being criticized for “showing class bias”,
“cozying up to harmful social prejudices” and being indecent.

5. THE MISLEADING ADS:

According to K V Thomas, Ex Union Minister, Govt of India, Piramal Healthcare ad – ‘getting
complete energy in 8 days or moneyback’ , Airtel Digital TV on ‘Free Regional Pack for life’ and ‘fair
skin’ by FMCG producers were misleading. Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable
Advertisements) Act and the Cable Television Network Regulation Act have failed to prevent
misleading ads.
Similarly, the Food & Drug Administration of Maharashtra Government had charge sheeted seven
officials of Henz India Pvt Ltd in its petition dated May 3, 2010, clearly stating the offence as “an
exaggerated ad on TV channels about food article ‘Complan’.”Complan had claimed in its ad that it
can add two inches to Children’s height.
6. ADVERTISING DICTATES MEDIA CHOICES:
It is accused of corrupting media, leading them to make editorials that favour the advertisers rather
than the public – case of tobacco or oil companies are clear pointers. The media denies any type of
self-censorship.