The prevailing view of advertising psychology is that consumers are rational (Scott). If they are given information about a product and reasons why it should be purchased, they would respond appropriately. The minority view is that the consumer response to advertising is non-rational (Scott). To be effective, advertising has to make a strong impression, appealing less to readers understanding then to their wishes and desires. “The Psychology of Advertising ,” written by the influential figure, Walter Dill Scott, is comprised of articles about current psychological theory and experiments to bear in support of the minority view. It argues that effective advertising must implant the thought of purchasing the product in the mind of the consumer and has to appeal to individual interests or motives. In pleasure our minds expand and we become extremely suggestible and are likely to see everything in a favorable light. Advertising must be designed to elicit pleasure in the reader. Advertisements have started using thin, young, attractive women, or the “ideal beauty,” to sell products. They have found this to be successful especially when the product targets a male dominated audience. For example, if a company brand is trying to sell a new, small, expensive, sports car they are most likely going to use a beautiful, thin model to sell it. The women "elicit pleasure," or attract, the male audience to watch the commercial which leads them to listen and recieve information about the car. The intended implied message is that if one were to purchase the car, he too will attract thin, gorgeous women like the one in the commercials. This is a good tactic to sell their product but the unintended consequences are not recognized. Teens are still figuring out who they are and where they fit in the world, especially when moving to a new atmosphere with new people, for example college. They want others to like and accept them and receive attention. Naturally, they look up to older, more mature figures for guidance and advice. If they are reading a magazine or watching television, they will notice all the women are very thin and receiving much attention. They immediately link being thin with popularity and, therefore, use it as their way into the popular crowd. Until they see a change in their social status, the girls will continue to loose the weight, most likely in an unhealthy manner. Every time they turn the television on, the odds that they will see a commercial using the “ideal beauty” is high. It will be a constant reminder that they are not as thin or beautiful as portrayed.
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One part of advertising psychology is what is actually shown in the advertisements but another is the airing of an advertisment on television. Four principles believed to increase the memorability of an advertisement are: repetition, intensity, association value and ingenuity. Specifically concentrating on repetition, it can be defined as the number of times the commercial is aired on television. 52% of children ages 5-17 have a TV in their rooms an the TV is on for an average of 7 hours and 12 minutes in an U.S home (media). An average women, in particular, sees 400 to 600 advetisments per day. 1 out of every 11 of these commercials has a direct message about beauty (Pittrich). Therefore , they are constantly exposed to media's image of beauty. High school or college teens already have very low self-esteem. Self-esteem is the result of comparing how we would like to be and what we would like to accomplish with how we see ourselves. The more often these commercials are shown, the more often the girls judge themselves and are given the constant reminder that they are not of the “ideal beauty.” Companies are more concentrated on profits and their own well being. They have failed to realize how the use of thin, unattainable body type women, are negatively affecting teens.
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