By Vanessa Ross
With the rise of consumerism, our global society has become increasingly focused on consuming goods and services, as a means to feel good about ourselves and to drive the economies of the world. Without consumerism, our economy would collapse dramatically. Advertisers drive our society through manipulation and persuasion to drive their consumers to buy their products which are not relevant to their needs. Through exploration of the psychology of advertising the five stages of life, advertising theories and techniques and the work of composers like Bruce Dawe and Macklemore provide an understanding of advertising by writing about how consumerism is being influenced in our daily lives.
Consumerism is a phenomenon that was always immanent in the relatively developed societies, where people purchased goods and consumed resources excessive to their needs. However, there was a major change after the Industrial Revolution. In the 1700’s, people were defined by the type of job they had for employment. The role of status in terms of class was formed together around in ways in which work was organised, and their fortune of wealth. This changed because of the industrial revolution as it was a period of great change. New industries like factories were being developed rapidly as a result of a number of inventions such as; the steam engine and spinning jenny, this machinery brought the industrial revolution to become the juggernaut that it was. Focus turned to the newer inventions to make life easier for working individuals and families with children. Now men and women of this modern society are not confined by their choice of employment but their ownership of trendy brands. Advertisements influence our daily lives by introducing new and improved ad campaigns manipulating the consumer into purchasing their product.
Advertisements persuade consumers largely by appealing to their emotions, often using sensory information to get consumers to feel