In: Operations Management
We tend to take advertising for granted, yet its social and economic significance is difficult to exaggerate. Does advertising actually convey information? Is advertising fair- misleading-deceptive or truthful?
Answer: Advertising is one of the most common forms of communication that the companies employ in order to convey important information about their products/services in a creative manner to the target audiences. Through advertising, the companies highlight the features and uses of their products to the customers so that they can connect it with their needs and wants. It enables the companies to communicate with the target customers at both individual and mass level. Therefore without advertising it will not be possible for the companies to effectively provide information to their customers. Thus advertising actually conveys information to the customers. Now whether the advertising is fair and truthful or misleading and deceptive totally depends on the company. Though it is true that advertisements often tend to project only a positive image of the product/services but they are not always deceptive or misleading. Similarly there are advertisers that provide misleading and deceptive information about the product/service to the customers. Hence whether the advertising is fair and truthful or misleading and deceptive totally depends on the advertiser.