Advertising is everywhere — on the sides of buses, in underground carriages and tunnels, on roadside billboards and on buildings, television, radio, and all over the internet. Adverts influence every aspect of our day-to-day lives, whether we know it or not, from our spending habits and the products we lust over, to the ways we think, eat, and act. Currently, television adverts are the most successful source of advertising in the world, reaching 94 per cent of first-world nations.
The second best format is outdoor advertising, which reaches 98 per cent of Britons. Social media has a massive effect on purchasing inspiration, with 37 per cent of online shoppers saying that they use it to help them decide what to buy. The majority of these campaigns aim to make us buy a product or an experience, and infrequently do they seek to instill meaningful values or expose hidden truths. Sadly, the bombardment of these kinds of advertisements has led to a world hyped on consumerism, fast fashion, unhealthy diets, and unethical thinking.