Every morning, Martha leaves her house and finds new brochures in her mailbox. At the bus stop, there are screens promising happiness and success. In the elevator, there are stickers advertising delivery services. She stopped reading them long ago, but they keep appearing. When Martha’s daughter once again says that she urgently needs “those vitamins from Instagram,” Martha notices how advertising has ceased to be background noise and has become part of the daily decisions she and her family make.
Advertising has long gone beyond being a sales tool. It shapes tastes, influences health, and affects the economy and nature. The short-term benefits are apparent: increased sales, new jobs, and market revitalization. But behind the slogans and smiles lie consequences that society faces more and more often.
Consumption is Artificially Created
The advertising industry is based on creating needs. Behavioral economics explains this through the concept of cognitive biases. People do not always make rational decisions, especially when messages are based on emotions. Under the influence of vivid images and promises, consumers make choices contrary to their interests.
This is particularly noticeable in cosmetics and fashion clothing advertisements. Young women see standard figures and appearances on screen. The belief that this is what success looks like gradually becomes the norm. Anxiety arises, and dissatisfaction with oneself develops. This is followed by a purchase that promises confidence. Emotional impact is more substantial than logic.
Harmful Products Remain in the Spotlight
Major manufacturers’ marketing budgets are focused on increasing brand awareness. Carbonated drinks, semi-finished products, and energy drinks are all promoted using images of happiness, youth, and energy. The actual risks remain behind the scenes.
In reality, regular consumption of sweetened soft drinks is linked to an increase in diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Nevertheless, they continue to feature prominently in advertising campaigns. Teenagers and young people are particularly vulnerable, as they are susceptible to visual images and peer pressure.
Increasing Environmental Burden
Brochures, leaflets, and flyers are produced in huge quantities. According to researchers, much of this material is in the trash, often without being read. Paper waste is rarely recycled. It is usually burned or decomposes in landfills, releasing carbon and toxins into the atmosphere.
The situation is exacerbated by the chemicals used to produce bright colors and paper. The production footprint of a single campaign is rarely considered in company strategies. However, its consequences are reflected in the air and water quality in the regions where the production facilities are located.
Reinforced Social Stereotypes
Advertising images shape social expectations. In commercials about family life, women are most often portrayed as housewives, while men dominate car advertisements. This reinforcement of roles influences career aspirations, behavior in the workplace, and self-perception.
This is particularly sensitive for young people. The image of success in advertising is appearance, gadgets, or leisure. This shifts the focus away from long-term goals and replaces effort with imitation.
Free market advocates point to advertising’s role in promoting competition and stimulating innovation. There is some merit to this argument. However, in the long term, advertising often leads to distortions in the structure of demand and a concentration of profits in the hands of large brands.
Small producers without marketing budgets are squeezed out. Their products may be more environmentally friendly and healthier, but without consumer attention, they have little chance of success.
Possible Regulatory Measures
There are a number of tools that can reduce negative externalities:
- Taxes on advertising products that exceed environmental standards
- Restrictions on the promotion of products with proven health risks
- Quotas for the participation of people of different ages, body types, and genders in advertising
- Transition to digital formats with mandatory reporting on reach and effectiveness
The state can play a key role. Before launching a campaign, its social and environmental impact should be assessed. Regulatory authorities can develop principles focused on public interests.
Complying with these standards can benefit companies, in turn, through access to public tenders, tax breaks, or participation in a “green advertising” program.
Conclusion
Advertising remains a powerful economic tool. But its influence extends beyond commerce. With growing pressure on the environment, increasing inequality, and changing norms, the advertising industry must be rethought. Through regulation, new standards, and public dialogue, it is possible to create a system where commercial efficiency is combined with social and environmental responsibility.