Dishonesty.

Dishonesty in advertising has proved to be one of the most common tactics employed in order to generate substantial consumer interest.  When scanning through the various media vehicles used to communicate with the consumers, it is apparent that society is constantly being bombarded with deceptive sales and advertising messages.  Words play a substantial emotional role in the persuasion process, and advertisers use this knowledge to manipulate consumers to buy products that are misleading or otherwise do not contain any of the intended benefits.  Roland Marchand states that, “advertisers left readers to assume that they could gain the same satisfactions of exclusiveness from belonging to the four million as had once been savoured by the four hundred,” they winnow the idea that you will be more valuable by purchasing the product. This constant stream of propaganda targets the common man who aspires to be a superior being, or part of a modern aristocracy. The emphasis of the exterior rather than interior elements creates this materialist society. Through the careful message element selection, advertisers are able to focus on the benefits of their product rather than its faults, in other words, they tell the consumer what they want to hear.  To the capitalist this is not considered dishonesty, rather, it is a way of making profit with every transaction at the least cost. Steve Craig also identified that, “the advertisers of some products simply wish to have their commercials seen by the largest number of consumers at the lowest cost.”   However, the definition of trust is one in which we openly reveal our weaknesses to others with the belief that they will not take advantage, so, clearly this is an act of dishonesty. Society is now at war with the growing ranks of commerce. If we are to ever free ourselves of Frankenstein’s monster, we must eliminate the need to lie otherwise the very foundations of society will dissolve beneath us.