Question 1(Synthesis): Celebrity Appeal Advertisements- Right or Wrong?

                             In an era of advanced technology and media, companies are frequently using the testimony of celebrities to promote their products. Consumers are often lured by the ruses of the advertisers because of celebrity appeal. As Sue Jozui puts it, this advertising strategy is misleading and deceptive,. and should be stopped. The negative effects of such advertising include impetuous purchases and misleading suggestions. 

                              Celebrity appeals can lead consumers to make impulsive purchases without proper assessment of the product. Audiences usually have fond inclinations toward their beloved athletes and actors. When these figures promote a certain product, audiences are induced to view it with a positive attitude, often thinking "If he/she uses it, the product must be good". Because celebrities and stars have well-established reputations and public trust, audiences are more willing to accept their purported claims. Thus, advertisers are exploiting the consumer's trust in their idols to support their products. Consumers do not take time to contemplate the value or efficiency of the product and make precipitate purchases. I myself have purchases a jump rope because my favorite athlete had used it in an advertisement. I was firmly persuaded that the jump rope was as efficient as presented by the athlete and made an immediate purchase. However, the jump rope did not turn out to be so amazing. It was made of crude material and was overall poorly constructed. If I had not been conned by the contrivances of celebrity ads, I would have assessed the product with more rationale. 

                     Celebrity advertisements can also be misleading. Apart for the biases representations of the product, celebrity commercials can suggest immoral, and sometimes unlawful ideas to younger audiences. Advertisers cannot control who watches their ads. It is not guaranteed that only the permitted age groups will be viewing certain shows and ads. Thus, when celebrities promote products such as tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy foods, children may be exposed to suggestive influences. Because athletes and actors already have basic trust form the public, young audiences may be induced to have positive inclinations to products such as those mentioned before. This harmful and potentially dangerous effects of celebrity appeal can be seen in the research done by TIME magazine in 2011. TIME reported that exposure and experience with tobacco and alcohol have drastically increased after the advent of celebrity appeal advertisements. Teens have admitted that they were more predisposed to try alcohol and tobacco after they have seen their favorite actors and athletes use them. This research led TIME to ban suggestive advertisements of tobacco and alcohol from their magazines. It is obvious that popular figures do in fact influences the appeal of certain products. Advertisers should therefore stop celebrity marketing to prevent corruption of the young. 

                  As Sue Jozui cogently states, star-supported commercials are misleading, suggestive, and harmful. It is imperative that consumers view such advertisements with more prudence and contemplation. To prevent harmful effects of these ads, companies should stop incorporating elements of star appeal.