Advertising is everywhere; we can’t escape it. There’s no denying that advertising is powerful and an enormous part of our lives and it’s probably here to stay.

Advertising is necessary to keep the cogs of the economy moving, or so we are led to believe. Advertising is profitable, with the Advertising Association declaring that UK’s ad market recorded £42.6 billion in 2024, with it continuing to rise this year and beyond.

Many believe that advertising is exploiting the vulnerable and leaving us with junk values, ultimately leading to the downfall of our communities.

Have you ever stopped to notice how many adverts we are exposed to each day?

The UK government have banned junk food adverts for children (although this only applies to adverts on television between 5.30 and 9.00 pm). Are we really subjecting our children to 40,000 commercials each year?

Adverts often rely on pester power. Imagine being a parent of young children setting out with the intention of feeding your child a healthy diet. You don’t want them ever step foot in any fast-food chain but you can bet their peers have enjoyed the delights of instant chicken nuggets and fries.

How do these parents stop their children from feeling they are missing out at some point?

That’s where pester power comes in. Even the youngest children recognise the golden arches, or the logos of many of these seemingly exciting chains. Imagine the groans of the children in the back seat begging for a chance to sample these delights that their friends enjoy. It takes a strong parent to ignore the calls, and rumbling tummies, not to succumb, ‘just this once’.

If parents can hold out for from the junk food with their strong beliefs of a healthful diet, what about the temptations around Christmas. We’ve been bombarded with Christmas adverts for many years now, certainly from when I was young. Circling toys in the Argos catalogue was a ritual for many children in the 90s, in the lead up to Christmas. I remember my own mother queuing for Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for my own son; such was the power of advertising.

Advertising doesn’t just get to children, none of us are immune. I can still sing recite songs from adverts from my own childhood as clearly today as when I first heard them. I know how to freshen my carpet, how long my washing up liquid will last and all about being a secret lemonade drinker.

If we were to sit in on a marketing campaign for a new product we’re likely to hear the team finding ways to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their product. We might hear them admitting that it is their job to make us feel inadequate, finding ways to tell us we’re not good enough. They will go to great lengths to make us buy more stuff, to want more stuff and ultimately to need more stuff.

Persuading us to treat ourselves, that we’re worth it is extremely powerful. Do we really need an advert or product to tell us this?

Once we are aware of how we are being persuaded or manipulated in this way, will it help us to be more discerning in our purchases? I’m not sure it will. I know how advertising works, I’ve created websites and promoted my own companies so know many tricks of the trade but I can’t help myself when I notice a new product with glossy promises and special powers.

Has advertising gone to far? Marketers know our vulnerabilities. They know that we want to look and feel better, they know that we want to save the planet and give to charity. They know that deep down we all want to do the right thing and they prey on that. Are their promises legitimate or are they worded in a way that we want to hear?

Going back to the statement that advertising is here to stay, some governments are noticing the negative effects of advertising and are trying to do things differently. San Paulo in Brazil has banned outdoor advertising since 2007 with the introduction of their Clean City Law. This controversial law forced the city to notice what was going on behind the adverts.

Advertising is a powerful tool and can allow us to choose things that align with our values. However, we do need to question whether we are choosing products based on our values, or are our values been manipulated to suit the product?

Are we being bombarded with too many adverts?

Do Christmas adverts add to our stress?

Are we being exploited by having to pay more for streaming or viewing without adverts?

Would cities be better by displaying art instead of adverts?

Has advertising benefitted or ruined sport?

Are we subjected to too much information?

Is advertising leading to overwhelm?