Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from competing companies. To what extent do you think are consumers influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them?

The last 30 years have seen a significant increase in advertisements all over the world. In my view, advertisements have a strong impact on people’s lives. This essay will discuss how advertisements are able to affect consumers’ lives and which practical measures of protection could be applied - in particular, increasing awareness and monitoring advertisements.

Firstly, nowadays it is believed that advertisements are controlling all aspects of the modern life, including food, clothes, and leisure time. Companies use powerful advertising method such as famous celebrities to convince people to purchase their products without considering the potential harmful consequences. As a clear example, in 1980 Clint Eastwood appeared in a cigarette advertisement that heavily contributed to the spread of smoking among teenagers according to a public survey undertaken at the time.

Secondly, due to the power and the possible negative impact of advertisements, the protection from advertisements' effect is becoming increasingly important. It is urged that governments should monitor advertisements closely to ensure that they do not have a negative influence on individuals’ health and attitudes. Some countries have established a governmental regulating authority to undertake this task and control published advertisements. Moreover, specific permits are required to prove the safety of the products prior to start the launch for any marketing campaigns.

In conclusion, I reaffirm that advertising is an effective tool to shape people‘s thinking in the modern life. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that governments should take further actions to counteract its effects. These steps could be mainly. Boosting individuals’ awareness and regulating advertisements