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Erika Osborne English 102 False Advertising Essay- Final 1 May 2013 Consumers Control Outcome of Advertisements What is the most effective mode of advertising? Internet ads, television commercials, and magazine advertisements can all be effective in persuading consumers in some way. Advertisers create a positive message in an ad to engage the consumers (LaTour). If the viewer is in a positive, comfortable atmosphere then the advertiser has a higher chance of persuading its audience. However, the success of persuasion the advertisement has will vary based on the type of consumer. The majority of consumers find advertisements to be annoying and untrustworthy, yet some forms of media advertising have gained more of the general publics trust than others. False advertising is everywhere and hard to avoid on a daily basis. Consumers have learned to be cautious about which advertisements to trust, so is any form of advertising effective? The majority of consumers can agree that when surfing on the internet and an advertisement about the newest face wash pops up it is annoying to encounter. Studies show that advertisements on the internet are the least effective in persuading consumers about their product (Hyeonjin). They are not trusted by individuals and therefore are not effective in receiving positive feedback from a consumer. No medium of advertising is particularly trusted; however studies show that consumers place a significantly less amount of trust in internet advertising than in traditional advertising media (Hyeonjin). Depending on the type of consumer, reactions and the effectiveness of an advertisement will vary. If a product is geared toward a specific age group, those that are not of age will have no interest on the advertisement and could form a

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negative attitude towards it (Perzanowski). If the product is fit for the type of consumer that is interested in it then the advertisement could result to be beneficial and informative for them (Yaakop). Television is a commonly used medium for advertising because of its popularity and ability to reach all age groups. Advertisements seen on television may have a higher chance of creating a positive attitude for the viewer due to the well-designed information the consumer is watching (Lu Hsu). However, television commercial advertisements do not please everyone. Studies show that low-income consumers trust an advertisement seen on television more than high-income consumers (Hyeonjin). The type of consumer being influenced by the advertisement will determine the positive or negative affect the viewer has on the product. If the consumer has more time to watch television then the attitude they have towards the commercial advertisements will be more positive than negative (Lu Hsu). Overall, consumers do not take commercial advertisements to be as much of an annoyance as internet advertisements. Stated before, advertisements encountered on the internet are less likely to be trusted among consumers. On the other hand, advertisements found in magazines are highly trusted among consumers. It is specifically high-income consumers that find magazine advertisements to be more trustworthy than any other method of advertising (Hyeonjin). The advertisement must be appealing to the eye and attract the reader in order to form a positive attitude towards the product. They have less annoyance to readers because it is their option whether they want to read it or not. Magazine advertisements may be highly trusted among consumers, however they do not always tell the absolute truth. As of now, there is no number one most effective mode of advertising. It is hard to believe there ever will be due to the majority of advertisers that lie to consumers. Written in the

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Journal of Consumer Affairs, consumers are skeptical of advertising not simply because advertisers sometimes lie or because their arguments lack credibility in the marketplace, but also because skepticism helps individuals resist or cope with an advertising system that is frequently perceived as trying to sell them rather than to inform them (Koslow). Some consumers find advertisements to be informative and appealing, but others find them to be only of annoyance. Even though consumers trust magazine advertisements the most and internet advertisements the least, does not always mean the information given is completely honest. So is there really a specific mode of advertising that is the most effective? That is up to the consumers to decide.

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Works Cited Hyeonjin, Soh, Leonard N. Reid, and Karen Whitehill King. "Trust In Different Advertising Media." Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 84.3 (2007): 455-476. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 May 2013. Koslow, Scott. "Can The Truth Hurt? How Honest And Persuasive Advertising Can Unintentially Lead To Increased Consumer Skepticism." Journal Of Consumer Affairs 34.2 (2000): 245. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 May 2013. LaTour, Kathryn A., and Michael S. LaTour. "Positive Mood And Susceptibility To False Advertising." Journal Of Advertising 38.3 (2009): 127-142. Business Source Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Lu Hsu, Jane, Yang Shuen-An, and Su Li-Chang. "Who Is Watching Tv? Who Is Listening To Radio? Consumer Perceptions Of Tv And Radio Advertising Information." Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal 35.2 (2007): 157-167. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 May 2013. Perzanowski, Aaron. "Unbranding, confusion, and deception." Harvard Journal of Law & Technology Fall 2010: 1+. Academic OneFile. Web. 1 May 2013. Yaakop, Azizul, and Jane Hemsley-Brown. "Hedonic Pleasure And Social Image: The Effectiveness Of Internet Advertising." Asian Social Science 9.1 (2013): 179-192. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 May 2013.