Publicité[1] criticism is a term that focuses on the scrutiny and evaluation of various advertising practices. It includes concerns about hyper-commercialism, such as the invasion of public and private spaces by advertisements and the excessive spread of ads to numerous locations. Critics also point out the environmental impact of advertising, including its contribution to pollution and waste. The social implications of advertising, such as its promotion of consumption as a lifestyle and its pervasiveness in society, are also topics of criticism. Legal and constitutional aspects of advertising are debated, with discussions about the link between advertising and freedom of speech, and the regulations on advertising practices. The psychological impact and manipulation in advertising, including the use of psychological pressure on consumers, are subjects of concern. Advertising criticism also examines the economic and market influence of advertising, including its costs and its influence on consommateur[2] behavior. Lastly, it studies the influence of media and corporate entities on advertising and the ethical challenges this poses.
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2016) |
Publicité is a form of selling a product to a certain audience in which communication is intended to persuade an audience to purchase products, ideals or services regardless of whether they want or need them. While advertising can be seen as a way to inform the audience about a certain product or idea it also comes with a cost because the sellers have to find a way to show the seller interest in their product. It is not without social costs. Unsolicited commercial email and other forms of spam have become so prevalent that they are a major nuisance to internet users, as well as being a financial burden on internet service providers. Advertising increasingly invades public spaces, such as schools, which some critics argue is a form of child exploitation. Advertising frequently uses psychological pressure (for example, appealing to feelings of inadequacy) on the intended consumer, which may be harmful. As a result of these criticisms, the advertising industry has seen low approval rates in surveys and negative cultural portrayals.
Critique de la publicité is closely linked with criticism of media and often interchangeable. Critics can refer to advertising's:
- audio-visual aspects (cluttering ou public spaces and airwaves)
- environmental aspects (pollution, oversize packaging, increasing consumption)
- political aspects (media dependency, free speech, censure)
- financial aspects (costs)
- time-consuming aspects
- social/moral/ethical aspects (sub-conscious influencing, invasion of privacy, increasing consumption and waste, target groups, certain products, honesty)