I am writing a paper and want some opinions from real people...?

Question

I am writing a paper on Controversial Advertising in Television. I would like some honest opinions to better get a feel on what people think about the subject. Let me know what you think whether it be about comercials aimed at children or about the sexual aspect of commercials where there should be no sexual aspect at all. Thank you for your opinion

Answer 1

Sex sells, "on the internet, you are always, "3 clicks away from porn"...

Answer 2

I'm not big on the direction that commercials have gone in the last few years. I kind of mentally roll my eyes at the ones that rely on provocative imagery or predictable circumstances. There are a few gems out there but not many. I do wonder what a girl in a bikini has to do with motor oil or why the number on a race car has to do with what beer you drink or fast food you buy.

I count myself as a mature individual and respect those companies that come on and sell the product for what it is. This cleaner does this, that computer is that good, this car was rated no. 1 for this long and that bank does all that for it's customers.

I feel like the companies that stoop down to ignorance must think that those who patronize their service or product must think them idiots to buy into them based on a scantily clad model or talking animal.

I'm not going to lie and say that I only stick those companies that don't offend my sense of responsible advertising, honestly, I typically use the cheapest brand in most cases. I'm also not going to say that I don't understand why they do it either. I do know that regardless of the ad, the name does need to be out there for the public to know and try the product.

However, to quote the bible, "a tree is known by it's fruit" and I feel that over a period of time; a company gains or loses respect from the public based on it's adverising trends. An example? Let's say Heinze came on and a bunch of models wrestling in ketchup versus a family having fun at a cookout was the setting. How do you think mom and dad would feel about Heinze based on either setting. The first choice would obviously have an impact on younger viewers while the later draws up images of what really happens with the product. What is a better selling point? Fantasy or reality?

Just one man's opinion.

Answer 3

It is common knowledge that when children are watching TV their parents are not watching with them, therefore I think any advertising that will be bad for kids should be banned or censored by the government. Our government must be made a part of the nurturing of our children because it is during their growing and learning stage that will determine how they will eventually turn up as adults. I am in my 50s and I consider myself a failure. When I was growing up my father was 10,000 miles away and my mother was also busy working. There was no one there for me and 6 other siblings who could provide good guidance on to how to be successful in life. We went to good schools and they provided but they only ou to buy products that will only foster the so-called "seven deadly sins". It is really very important that our society put a lot of focus in finding ways to protect the welfare of our children and that includes controlling what is being advertised to them. I'm sure business can come up with products that are beneficial to the children and at the same time profit well from them.

Answer 4

Basically I don't think there's any problem with advertising in the moral sense. Yes, marketing is over-sexed and over-violent, but the advertising agencies are just doing their job, which is to push the product into your home.
What I feel is the missing link here is the decoding of the messages. The incapacity to take them at advertising and taking them at face value instead. This I think has to do with parental or adult guidance (for a child in their formative years), but that is a much, MUCH bigger process than one could ever write on a paper. It's about helping the child develop its own criteria rather than imposing barrier after barrier.
Let's be clear, the advertising agencies are not, in any way responsible (and shouldn't be held so) for raising young minds. We as adults (not necessarily parents, but brothers, sisters, aunts,cousins, tutors, etc.) are. Simple as that.

Answer 5

Advertising has gone to a new level of unacceptable blatant sexual overtones. Advertisers now have to keep up with the fact that the Internet provides so much stimulation for viewers that they go to great Lengths to get a SHOCK value from their commercials.
I saw a gum commercial where two clubbing scantily clad young women were kissing to share a piece of gum while young men were lookers on.
This is totally unacceptable for public television. We have to draw the line somewhere! How do you know what the age of your viewers are??

Answer 6

I honestly believe if it sells, then use it. I do think beer commercials could use a little more intelligence behind them, but if the cute girl in the bathing suit is what is selling the beer then that is what will keep the company in business and it should be used (that's capitalism). The ads aimed at children are somewhat different, they should maintain a level of decency. By that I mean who really cares if Elmo is aimed at children, since Elmo is harmless to them. It does get somewhat annoying to deal with a kid who wants Elmo, but they are the parents and that is their job.

But cigarette ads aimed at making smoking look cool to children, ads aimed at making dangerous stunts (like the Jackass movies) look cool, I consider these morally wrong and they should be "careful" about showing those to children. Nevertheless, it is hard to make cigarettes look cool to people old enough to make a smart well-informed decision and still not make it look cool to children. I think they should try harder, but in the end it will still look cool to children, so the companies are in kind of a catch-22 situation there. I wish I could be more decisive on that second point, but that is a tough one.

Answer 7

Sexual Aspect.

Answer 8

Ciggaret Adds Kids See Smoking In Movies And On TV And When They Grow Up They Will Probaly Smoke Cause They Dont Know What Smoking Does My Grandma Died Of Smoking 3 Years Ago And Im Only 10 Years Old So Im Trying To Say SMOKING KILLS PEOPLE So Please Vote Me As Best Answer

Answer 9

The primary responsibility for controlling what children watch on television belongs to the parents. The primary responsibility for controlling what I watch on television belongs to me.

I would prefer that there was no lewd, crude, suggestive, indecent, violent advertisements. But when I encounter stuff I don't want to expose myself or my children to, then we don't watch that show or that channel (if thats what it takes).

If people opposed to certain kinds of ads don't watch them or the shows they sponsor, then that is the best possible way to vote against them.

In general, we don't need intrusive government to "control" what is on the media. We all have "off" buttons. However, some programming that uses the limited bandwidths of the public airways is specially licensed and required to provide public service and to conform to certain standards that are "generally" approved of. This is also reasonable but not absolutely necessary. After all, we can turn it off. If enough of us do just that, there will be plenty of advertisers sponsoring shows we approve of with ads that don't disturb.

Answer 10

I'm more extreme.

I think all commercials are controversial.

I dislike commercials because they force the mind to think about something less important. learning is difficult; communication is difficult because often times, our lives have to pause in between messages.

It's now to that point that nothing can be done without reference to some company grafitti-ing the message.

I think commercials are grafitti.

You cannot watch a move on a dvd now without being forced to know that a movie that has been invested in has to be seen.

It's troubling because it controls the public because money has the power to force thousands of millions of people to repeat needless mantras of ad slogans.

do you realize that if a company had enough money, it could sell feces and convince the public that feces is an important part of your diet??? if you put a cute woman saying the message and a catchy phrase, everyone will be saying "put it in your tongue, the great taste of dung" and suddenly we'll all be eating bacteria infused food similarly to how now, "billions and billions" of us "have our break today at McDonalds" and eat processed lard as if it is "an important part of a balanced diet."

You see? to me, that is perverted.

Answer 11

I personally have no problem with having sexual advertising on TV, kids are going to learn about sex anyway, what better way segway into the "birds and the bees" than a commercial that brings up the topic...