TV Advertisement as Reflections of Our Society

Running Head: TV Advertisement as Reflections of Our Society

TV Advertisement as Reflections of Our Society

Introduction

The evolution in the media and communication sector has seen the rise of the television. The television has played a critical role in the in both in the entertaining and informing the society of what is happening. Television advertisement encompasses the use of promotion materials and information targeting a group within the society for its benefit. Today, there are various incidences and events within our society that need to be known by various cadres of people in age and activity. With these reasons, the programming on the televisions follows either the general viewing where all family members can view together or with parental guidance where only members having attained a given age bracket is allowed to view. The television has been the largest mass medium for advertising because of its impact and targeting ability.

Henderson & Kelly (2005) noted that television advertisements have become the cornerstone of our society. Within the society, different roles are played by different people and this has been promoted through the adverts. There are various advertisements that reflect on the gender separation in terms of roles for each gender and how the society expects us to behave. This has promoted hard work among the gender in provision of basic needs. Advertisements about food reflect on societies need and abundance of food commodities thus encourage as a result of well shared roles in the society.

Within our society, there are various acts against humanity that can not be known unless through television programmes. In this regard, the television adverts bring out the social injustices happening within our societies so that the stakeholders and the affected can come to interact and assist one another. Television advertisements have played a role in the interaction of people from different sections of the world through the opinion counts and polls by the media house.

The society needs have been addressed well through the television adverts. Within the society, different diseases have proved disastrous to the human health and thus rendered them unproductive and less helpful to the society. The television adverts have encouraged disclosure of the diseases by many people who in process seek help from other society members. Management of diseases like cancer has proved expensive to most people thus the adverts exactly portrays the unending needs of the society.

With the diminishing values within our society, the television adverts and commercials have proved essential in the promotion and upholding the society values. This has been through revealing the vices within the society, encouraging the people to comment and thus promoting the values. Movies like the Hotel Rwanda, teaches and rebukes the effects of tribalism in the society.  The various adverts on the television elicit debates through which the stake holders promote change of the society.

Television advertisements have promoted the activeness of the society. This has been through movie and sporting programmes that entertain and encourage the youths in the developing their talents. The advert about the games played, the enjoyment and fulfillment that come with help the youths in choosing their careers. Advertisements like Samsung involve football players like Essien and Drogba have been used by many youths as role models a concept the society lacks and needs.

 Even though the television advertisements reflect on our society, they have also promoted the decay of the society. The advertisements involving cosmetics and clothing have encouraged wrong outfits that do not uphold and reflect the society. Most ladies want to appear like those in adverts and as a result, there is moral decay among the youths Boyland et al (2008).  The television advertisements show how the society hold men as being masculine, strong with self esteem whereas ladies as submissive, sexual and weak. With this notion, some men have abused their position in the society as the head of the family thus contributing to family breakdowns.

References

Henderson, V.R. & Kelly, B. (2005) Content Analysis of Food  Advertising on General Market   and African American Television   J Nutr EducBehav, 37, 191-196.

Boyland, E.J., Harrold, J.A., Kirkham, T.C., J.C.G. Halford. (2008)  Television advertising and    the society preferences, 51, 751-764.