advertisement essay
DESCRIPTION
Old AP test assignmentTRANSCRIPT
Amanda Finch
In the United States, citizens are bombarded by a constant surplus of advertisements that
inform, dissuade, and convince a person to think, feel, or act in one way or another. These
advertisements represent a diverse spectrum of opinions; some promote abstinence from drugs
and alcohol, while others enhance the publicity of various brands of cigarettes. Not only are the
ads and corporate influence found on obtrusious billboards, but ads are also present in all aspects
of daily life.
Consequently, advertisements and corporate logos present themselves to students at
schools. The schools rely on advertisements and sponsors to alleviate the overwhelming finances
that come with running a school. In the cafeteria, students find vending machines with the
blazing red, white, and blue logo and various signs with famous athletes or actors bearing the
familiar milk mustache that encourage consumers to drink milk. Also, most scoreboards bear the
logos of corporate companies; while some may view these as obnoxious, the scoreboards would
not be possible without the partnerships. Because of the overwhelming need for money, schools
often have no option but to employ the help of corporate sponsors.
Unquestionably, ads are in the forms of posters and billboards; however, if a school
presents Channel One to their students, they watch up to four commercials per show. Channel
One is a high school orientated news shows that many schools retain a partnership with because
in return, Channel One donates money to the school. Although advertisements on normal
television programming vary in the purity of their messages, all advertisements on Channel One
positively influence high school students. For example, White Lies runs many commercials on
Channel One; these sarcastic, witty commercials enforce the negative effects of tobacco use.
How can these commercials be a detriment to high school students?
At the same time, advertisements and corporate logos infiltrate an environment that
should be void of persuasive messages and influences. Because a school should be a place of
learning, the bombardment of outside influences may inhibit these respectable and
knowledgeable places. In addition, many studies illustrate the fact that high school students are
too easily swayed by advertisements. By unfairly encouraging students to purchase certain
products or support a company, schools abuse their authority over the young minds they have
been entrusted with.
Without question, schools require the money provided by advertisements and corporate
partnerships to sustain acceptable facilities and tools. As long as the ads found in school
cafeterias, libraries and hallways and commercials shown on Channel One reflect a positive
message, schools should continue to reap the benefits of corporate partnerships. Not only serving
as financial aid to schools, partnerships also capitalize on their influence by presenting
constructive messages to teenagers who are regularly assaulted with negative messages from
outside media.