Behind the Obvious Essay Example

be modified to capture consumers' attention.

With the increasing sophistication of advertising, there is a growing need for careful analysis. During the 1920s, advertising began to highlight both the known and unknown aspects of products. For instance, the Gillette safety razor emphasized that not using their razor could lead to facial diseases. This was a time when consumers were encouraged to critically examine advertisements and ask themselves questions. Scott Tissues, for example, encouraged readers to consider the potential rectal problems that could arise from using "inferior toilet paper".

These advertisements employ puffery to make claims. Puffery refers to the use of opinions rather than facts in advertising. In his article "Art or Puffery? A Defense of Advertising" in the Reading Pop Culture anthology, Winston Fletcher argues that advertising introduces us to the desirable aspects of life. It focuses on the tangible possessions we can acquire, rather than our emotions. Puffery involves the use of slogans that cannot be proven or disproven. To assess whether advertising truly showcases the good things in life, Fletcher was asked to evaluate twenty-one advertisements.

In defense of advertising, Fletcher argues that advertisements cannot include all the facts about a product. Advertisers select the best facts when creating an advertisement. Fletcher mentions other viewpoints from advertising critics but ultimately finds that more than 80% of the British population believes that advertising is beneficial. Advertising can be a positive influence, but consumers should carefully analyze the underlying message in an advertisement and decide for themselves the extent of exaggeration.