Some people think the high sales of products reflect the power of advertising instead of the consumers' demand.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Nowadays, there are an increasing number of commercial advertisements on the television or on other press. Some people believe that it is those advertisements that drive the high sales of products.

One of the reasons of that conjecture is the idol effect. In almost every advertisement for a product, famous stars, such as singers, actors, even sports stars, are invited to advertise the product. People would buy it because of their favourate idols, although they do not necessarily need the product. Another reason is that products usually look good-qualified and excellent on advertisements, thus inducing consumers to buy them without hesitation. The advertising plays a role in leading people to believe their products are the best and perfect. In addition, if a product is popular and is recommended by many friends and colleagues, people would also like to have a try. This is called blind action where customers buy products due to the influence from people around them.

However, there are also opinions against this attitude. One is that high sales often results from the product itself, rather than advertisements. If a product is of high quality and practical value, then consumers would absolutely like it. Also, it is the consumers who decide whether or not to buy the product and they are restricted by their disposable income. This means they cannot choose to buy whatever they see from advertisements. Furthermore, each individual has his or her own buying habits, which cannot easily be affected by the advertising. They are unlikely to purchase a product which is not catering to their spending habits no matter how popular it is.

Overall, it is fairly true to say that advertisements more or less contribute to the high sales of a product. But advertising is not the only cause. People should learn to form their own buying habits and strong views towards a product, thus avoiding negative effects from advertising.