The Age of Advertisements

Today, the craze of advertisement of manufactured goods is on the increase. The art of advertisement is, in fact, a modern development. It has revolutionized the modern trade. Modern life is highly complex and mechanical. People have no time to go into the soul of things. They want to buy largely advertised goods. The manufacturer, in his turn, wants to popularize his goods before these are manufactured. Such is the craze for advertised goods. We are living in the age of advertisement. No wonder, one sees shining and multi-colored billboards hung on poles displaying goods advertised. The city walls are found littered with eye-catching advertisements of products that are manufactured today. There is a spate of magazines and journals which spare pages for the latest variety of goods manufactured. Radio and Television are humming with advertisements of new products. In fact, many a time, one gets sick of these advertisements repeated hundreds of times on the radio or the TV screen.

There are various methods of advertisement. The most popular and useful method is to send advertisements in newspapers and magazines. Television in no less powerful a medium for advertising goods. There is always a great demand for advertisement space of footage and much money flows to the advertising media. In certain cases, the advertisement cost runs into thousands of rupees for a product advertised. The fact, however, remains that it is the consumer who eventually pays for the goods advertised. Advertisements are sometimes so scientifically and intelligently planned that they change the entire psychology of the consumers. Advertisements thus hold the sway and no manufacturer can do without them. A thing may not have an intrinsic value but it must be well advertised. We live in a glamorous world of advertisement.

There are many products available in the market. No article of necessity or item of luxury is sold at the counter without the show of advertisement in choicest language. The commodity sold must spell the name of its firm or concern it belongs to. There is a wide range of goods advertised in the newspapers or on the radio or on Television. The list of goods advertised is so long that one cannot simply avoid reading or hearing or watching, Banks, insurance companies, coaching centers, beauty parlours, physical fitness centers, music and dance schools, all fill the pages of newspapers or the ‘break’ during programmes broadcast or telecast. Automobiles, two-wheelers, electric appliances, fabrics, cosmetics, toilet goods, furniture, watches, shoes, crockery and cutlery, TV sets, radio sets, medicines and tonics, all catch the eye on a printed page or on the TV sets, Besides this, advertisements seeking matrimonial alliances, making public notices, of “Lost” and “Found”, selling old cars and houses, etc. find mention in the newspapers. All these advertisements are couched or gilded in words. The efficacy of a medicine, the durability of a particular commodity, or the utility of joining a course or training is to be judged from the kind of language used in advertisements. The use of catchphrases like Dr. De’s tablets, “the best nerve tonics. “Salora T.V., the glory of every home.” “Dr. Cook’s Salt,” “Brahmputra tea,” “wanted a rare beauty for the only son of a multi-millionaire,” Blue Seal whisky for Royal taste, etc. bring the advertised goods home to the readers.

Advertisement has now developed both as an art as well as a science. Several universities in the country have introduced academic courses leading to some degree or diploma in the art of advertisement. No wonder, these graduates from the universities are coming out with newer and newer ways of advertising things.

The world of advertisement is very large. It is a run between the manufacturer and the consumer without wickets. Certain advertisements are catching while others are repulsive to hear or to see. In fact, there is going on a mad race in dress materials advertised in words becoming or unbecoming and very often the advertising agency crosses all limits of decency and propriety. Advertisements have come to stay. It is for the consumers to look into the soul of things advertised. They may go in for advertised goods but they should not be taken in by eye-catching but cheap advertisements.