Research Says Life Without Advertising Would Be Dull
Advertising is everywhere and life without it would be “very very dull” according to the results of a major study carried out by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The study, which is intended to highlight public perceptions of advertising in the UK, found that consumers consider advertising to be as much a part of the environment as “the traffic and the trees.” Those who were surveyed defined advertising as “everything with a name on it” and said that without it there would be a lack of desirable information, less entertainment and less to talk about.
According to the ASA, advertising is considered as a barometer of the economy and is regarded as the key indicator of a brand’s health. Advertising with a lot of money behind it was found to add credence to the marketing message and stature to the brand. The majority of respondents viewed the use of mainstream media such as TV and radio as a sign of a trustworthy brand and felt that it reflected credibility.
The research also found that the public considers advertising to be better than it ever was and is more critical of it as a result. Ads are viewed as more entertaining and more reflective of real life than in the past and clever ads, which become part of everyday culture, are viewed as the most successful.
However, older respondents generally felt that there is too much advertising and campaigns that are economical with the truth were scorned by respondents across all age and socio-economic groups. The survey found that ads, mainly financial, that do not communicate a clear marketing message and hide important information in small print threaten to undermine advertising as a whole.
Overall advertising regulators were perceived to be doing a good job, but respondents felt that they should be more active and more controlling in their efforts to protect consumers, especially from posters, which were found to be the most invasive of all the advertising mediums.
ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk
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