Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Recently, the dramatic increase in sales of trendy consumer goods has sparked controversy over the drawbacks and merits associated with it. As a consequence, a number of people believe that advertising is a connection between customers and products. However, I would contend that advertisements manipulate people by some ways.

Those endorsing the crucial role of advertisements tend to focus on connection elements. They claim that companies need to tell customers about their products so that people can have a good understanding of what they tend to buy, regardless of some overstated features advertised. In addition, people who approve of positives sides of advertising assert that goods are easily boycotted by consumers if their qualities are not compatible with what they have been presented. Let’s take Masan soy sauce as a telling example, they used to be rejected by Vietnamese customers as they were promoted as a product without cancer-causing elements. However, after an inspection conducted by Vinastas consumerism association, they concluded that this product contains 3-MCPD 9 which is known as the key factor of causing cancer. Consequently, the sale figures experienced the most dramatic decline over five years and Masan has been put into Vietnamese’s blacklist since then.

Although this argument seems compelling, I am fierce in the assertion that people are living in a consumer culture where they are swayed by advertisements. To be concrete, advertisers tend to involve celebrity endorsements in promoting campaigns in attempt to repose trust in consumers. As a result, those who are infuenced by marketing buy goods impulsively. In some cases, this trend leads to waste of money as people only follow the lattest trend without considering their real needs. Furthermore, nowadays consumers are encouraged to associate certain brands with a higher status. In fact, people are more likely to buy products from renowned brands that may boost their social image rather than high-quality ones from unpopular brands. For instance, customers, especially women may show their high level in society by purchasing up-to-the-minute items from luxurious brand names such as Gucci, Channel, Fendi,... despite the fact that there are a great deal of products that fulfil their needs with much lower prices.

To recapulate, although the notion of linking advertisements and goods is worthwhile in the view of some people, there are far more persuasive reasons why power of advertising should be regulated so as not to manipulate people.