Three Perspectives

ADVERTISING. A good campaign can turn a product into a bestseller overnight (click the speaker for an example of a campaign that was a huge success). A bad campaign, on the other hand, can take a product off the market, possibly damaging a company's reputation. Companies are well aware of the effect advertising has on the success of their products, and spend accordingly. The U.S. spends over $160 billion a year on advertising. In 1995, this amount accounted for over half of the amount spent on advertising worldwide, which was $335 billion. However, advertising is becoming more important on a world level as well. The U.S. domination in advertising expenditure is declining: it has fallen by 13 per cent between 1970 and 1995. McCann-Erickson forecasts that global advertising expenditure will increase to $2 trillion by 2020. The internet has created new ways for companies to promote themselves and create revenue. In 1996, consumer retail commerce over the internet totalled $1.3 billion, and is expected to reach $6 billion by the year 2000. A 1997 survey found that 53 per cent of internet users in the U.S. and Canada used the internet to arrive at a purchase decision. However, only 15 per cent of these internet users actually used the internet to make a purchase. Advertising is here to stay: in some cases it is so integrated into society that we don't even notice it for what it really is. The online reporters of Advertising and Modern Society: Three Perspectives have looked deeper into some of the issues concerning advertising in today's society. Lara Smiltnieks looked into the most dangerous advertising of all-- the advertising you may not know about. Subliminal advertising: have you been bought? Meredith Dundas takes a global look at advertising Internet advertising report Kelly Callaghan looks at the impact of the internet on the advertising industry. Waves of the future: marketing online This page was designed and edited by Lisa Marchitto All About Us!! Kelly Callaghan Meredith Dundas Lara Smiltnieks Lisa Marchitto Zine 98

Did you know... Bright colors (orange, yellow, red) are more prone to make people want to buy things American T.V. networks now broadcast 6,000 commercials per week in 1997, a Swedish telecommunication firm offered reduced rates on its telephone service if customers would agree to listen to advertisements during their telephone calls the Ford Pinto was a complete flop when it was introduced in Brazil. The company found out that Pinto was Brazilian slang for "tiny male genitals." Ford pried all the nameplates off and substituted "corcel," which means "horse." the North American slogan for Kentucky Fried Chicken, "finger lickin' good," was translated into Chinese as "eat your fingers off."

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