It is uncertain whether consumerism is a natural human tendency or has been artificially induced. Clearly, the media and the advertising industry have worked hard over many decades to convince the public of many needs of which they were previously unaware. For this, false needs had to be created. It would be the work of investors, marketing experts, advertisers and business leaders as well as the spending examples of the rich that would collectively promote consumption.

Birth of Advertising as a Specialised Profession

The business community thus introduced the age of mass consumption, founded a new age of progress in an abundant society and gave birth to the advertising industry. New packaging technologies were developed, allowing distribution of goods in bags, cans, and bottles. This technological advancement made it possible for the first time to create nationally and internationally known ‘brand’ names in the marketing of foods, beverages, cosmetics and other goods.

Although advertising existed as a specialised profession for only about a century, it has become a powerful force, rivalling education and religion in shaping public values and aspirations. It is justified by economists as a source of information about the products and services available in the market. While it certainly plays that role, it also appeals to many different values, to emotional as well as practical needs, to a range of desires and fantasies. The multitude of advertisements that are encountered all share a common message—they are selling the joys of buying, promoting the idea that purchasing things is, in itself, a pleasurable activity.

The Nag Factor—Ads Targeted at Children

Advertising targeted at young children is particularly worrisome because children lack the ability to resist commercial messages. A study found that a school-based effort to reduce TV viewing by third and fourth graders significantly reduced their requests for toys.

Since children do not have a lot of money to spend themselves, the solution advertisers have come to is to help cultivate the art of nagging by modelling effective nagging behaviour in advertisements. A study has found that the way a child nags their parent impacts whether or not the parent will buy them the product. 20-40% of purchases will not occur if the child does not nag their parents. Thus, instead of directing advertisements for children’s products mainly at parents, children themselves are targeted and shown how to pester their parents to get what they want.

Redefining What It Means To Be Happy

Defenders of advertising point out that it provides valuable information to the public about the goods and services available, in order for them to make an informed purchasing decision. However, if that is all that advertising is doing, then perhaps it would not be an important component of consumerism. This is not the case because ads do so much more than simply convey information—they display and reinforce certain values, constantly affirming the association between happiness and consumption, and between success in life and buying material things. Advertising, specifically, and mass media, more generally, has contributed to a gradual increase of the consumption norms in society.

Advertising and marketing makes one aware and conscious of people who live more luxurious lives, and inspires the desire to behave like them so as to ‘fit in’ and, perhaps, be looked up to. The individual thus falls prey to peer pressure, conspicuous consumption and spending more than what is earned, due to easy access to credit facilities. Advertising and marketing professionals are trained in employing psychological tactics to lure the people into purchasing their product. It all revolves around the common idea that purchasing even more is the key to personal satisfaction and is the answer to all life’s problems. It convinces the people that their insecurities, troubles, and worries will be over if they indulge more in consumption, and that they will be more liked by their peers and their prestige and status in society will rise.

[This post is a part of a series of posts on the same topic.

Part 1: Rise of Consumerism in a "Modern" World [Part 1: Role of the Industrial Revolution]

Part 2: Rise of Consumerism in a "Modern" World [Part 2: Desire for Prestige]

Part 3: Rise of Consumerism in a "Modern" World [Part 3: Personal Insecurities]

Part 4: Rise of Consumerism in a "Modern" World [Part 4: Role of Peer Pressure]

Part 5: Rise of Consumerism in a "Modern" World [Part 5: Impulses and Cravings] ]