Question

How can the benefits of advertisements help for the development and enhancement of the society? Explain with examples.

Answer 1

Advertising serves society in the following ways:

1. Employment generation: Advertising provides direct employment to a large number of people engaged in designing, writing and issuing advertisements. By promoting exports, advertising helps the country earn valuable foreign exchange.
2. Higher standard of living: Advertising improves the standard of living of the people by promoting variety and quality in consumption. It educates people about new uses of products and provides information for developing better ways of life. It is essentially a form of education, and the progress of civilisation depends on education.
3. Sustains the press: Advertising provides an important source of revenue to newspapers, magazines, radio and television. As a result, the public gets news at lower rates and the circulation of newspapers and magazines increases. By subsidising the press, advertising serves as a bright symbol of freedom of choice.
4. Stimulates research and development: Advertising can be successful only when it is backed by new and better products. Big business firms have research and development departments to develop new products and new uses for existing products. By promoting research and development, advertising helps in the process of rapid industrialisation.
5. Incentive to progress: Advertising is a great motivating force. It creates a desire for a better standard of living. It spurs individual exertion and greater production. People are induced to work hard and earn more to buy new products brought to their attention through advertising.