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Advertising’s negative impacts are back in the spotlight with the govt’s ban on junk food ads.
Over eight years ago, I explored these issues with @jonjalex, @TomCrompton & @pircuk, in our report ‘Think of me as evil?’:
https://publicinterest.org.uk/think_of_me_as_evil.pdf
Thread (1/n)
Over eight years ago, I explored these issues with @jonjalex, @TomCrompton & @pircuk, in our report ‘Think of me as evil?’:
https://publicinterest.org.uk/think_of_me_as_evil.pdf
Thread (1/n)
We argued that advertising has three major negative impacts on society:
1. Advertising increases material consumption, fuelling the ecological crisis
2. Advertising alters social values
3. Advertising impacts our liberties - we can’t choose not to be subjected to advertising
1. Advertising increases material consumption, fuelling the ecological crisis
2. Advertising alters social values
3. Advertising impacts our liberties - we can’t choose not to be subjected to advertising
George Monbiot summarised our report well here.
"Advertising claims to enhance our choice, but it offers us little choice about whether we see and hear it, and ever less choice about whether we respond to it." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/24/advertising-poison-hooked
"Advertising claims to enhance our choice, but it offers us little choice about whether we see and hear it, and ever less choice about whether we respond to it." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/24/advertising-poison-hooked
The report’s title was inspired by an advertising executive, who said "The truth is that marketing raises enormous ethical questions every day - at least it does if you’re doing
it right... I would rather be thought of as evil than useless.”
it right... I would rather be thought of as evil than useless.”
Most advertising advocates argue that advertising merely 'redistributes' consumption between brands - i.e. ads coax you to smoke Camels rather than Benson & Hedges, but don’t increase smoking overall.
This is clearly nonsense, hence smoking ad bans.
This is clearly nonsense, hence smoking ad bans.
The problem for advertising is that what’s true for smoking ads is also therefore true for every other negative thing advertising sells - junk food, fossil fuel guzzling cars etc.
Of course the industry has resisted bans on these vociferously, and continues to do so.
Of course the industry has resisted bans on these vociferously, and continues to do so.
Amongst our recommendations were that we should reduce the pervasiveness of advertising in society.
Bans on smoking ads and junk food ads nibble at this. But why not seek to ban, say, all advertising aimed at children? Why should they be exposed to advertising at all?
Bans on smoking ads and junk food ads nibble at this. But why not seek to ban, say, all advertising aimed at children? Why should they be exposed to advertising at all?
Much has changed since the report came out - most of all, the vastly greater pervasiveness of targeted online advertising and marketing.
But also new groups like @AdblockBristol & @adblockcardiff have emerged - and the idea of advertising bans clearly hasn't gone away. (Ends)
But also new groups like @AdblockBristol & @adblockcardiff have emerged - and the idea of advertising bans clearly hasn't gone away. (Ends)
