The role of advertising has been redefined in the contemporary society. In the past, advertisements served primarily as a source of information for products or services. Now, they begin to permeate into our lives and into our minds, shaping our ideas and lifestyles, and in the course of this, make us look and think in increasingly similar ways.
First of all, many advertisements set a standard model of life through its depiction of a family or a social setting. This makes people believe that as a member of a certain social group, they should dress, speak and behave in the same way as what is suggested in those advertisements. For example, a typical housewife in TV commercials is invariably the same: she uses Unilever products, prepares breakfast for her children and husband, and does all the washing and laundry at home.
Second, the impact of advertisements is immediate and powerful, especially with the aid of modern media and internet technology. Today, whenever a new product is launched into the market, whether it is a cell phone, a new car, or a new fashion brand, millions of consumers become avid followers. They wanted to set themselves different by becoming the first batch of priority users. But they would soon be disappointed because millions of others were doing the same. Just take a look around you and see how many people are carrying an iPhone 6!
Of course, there are competing advertisements featuring rival products. They give people a series of options to choose from. In theory this could make people less identical. Yet in reality, we would find that many people tend to choose only a few long-established brands which they believe are more trustworthy and reliable. So in the end the society gets inevitably homogeneous.
Advertising is a creative industry, but instead of making its intended audience more creative, it often creates a group of loyal customers that purchase the same products, dress in the same way, and live with the same lifestyle. In a word, advertising stymies individuality.