CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

For years, researchers have been studying about the possible influence mass media could do in the lives of the people. And one of the highly influential media is advertising- a paid message that appears in the mass media for the purpose of informing or persuading people about particular products, services, beliefs, or actions.

You see ads every day, mostly in the middle of a TV show, A Television Commercial, and it's easy to say "they're just ads" because, at worst, they feel like a nuisance or interruption. A lot of people have difficulty accepting the idea that ads are manipulative because we want to believe we're in complete control of our choices. Advertising exists because there's a product a company wants to sell and they want people to know about it so they can buy it. This much is obvious.

There are all kinds of ads, but in general they all aim to keep you from thinking and, instead, make your buying choices based on an emotional response. Basically, if you're not prepared to think—and you often are not when you're watching television or reading a magazine—you'll pretty much accept any suggestion if it is offered to you. Since you're being so passive, you may not even realize its happening.

Product advertisements such as beauty products, food and clothing pay a great deal of influence in Filipino viewers, especially young people. The consumer preference id often based what they see on T.V. as portrayed by various stunning, and often times ideal, commercial models.

It is noticeable that people, especially young people/students, has the tendency to be idealistic, and tends to imitate what they often see as appealing to majority.

Advertisements aren't inherently bad, but many use manipulative tactics that influence in ways students don't