Advertising
Have you ever seen a TV commercial for a "new and improved" product? For example, maybe you've heard of new and improved "Lucky Brand" dishwashing detergent. Have you ever wondered what makes the new and improved Lucky detergent better than
the old Lucky detergent? Would you be surprised if the answer was one drop of lemon juice? Of course you would. One drop of lemon juice wouldn't make much of a difference. What makes a product "new and improved" then? The product must be changed in some way, but it doesn't matter how much.
So what's the point?
What if the new detergent costs a dollar more per bottle? That's an expensive lemon drop. Words like "new and improved" are called weasel words. There are many weasel words used in advertising. Can you think of any?
Definition Of Advertising
Advertising informs people about the goods and services they can purchase. You have probably seen ads on TV or in magazines. Can you think of any ads that made you want to buy the advertised product?
Advertising is a form of persuasion. Persuasion is the ability to convince others of your own opinion. Critics of advertising say that advertising should be more honest. Those in favor of advertising admit that advertising can be misleading, but overall it is creative and entertaining. They also say it is protected by the first amendment of the Constitution.
Now that you have been introduced to the concept of advertising, please continue to learn more about the
History of Tobacco Advertising. You can also try your hand at
evaluating some of the advertisments below.
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