For all the positive in advertising, the reality is that it also influences society in

negative ways. One negative aspect of advertising is its potential to feed into
unrealistic expectations, breed discontentment and influence our thought
processes in ways that are beyond our control. This happens partly because we
are consuming the advertisements as individuals but also because the
advertisements influence the wider culture that shapes us.

Things like materialism, workaholism, unhealthy lifestyle habits, alcoholism,

political mudslinging and unrealistic views of body image in advertisements
negatively shape our culture and impact the most vulnerable among us.

Children have a hard time distinguishing between ads and television programming, and
they lack the developed intuition to alert them when persuasion is at play. They are
vulnerable to advertisements because they are more likely to accept them as reality,
without the critical-thinking skills
Drug advertisements are advantageous in that they make consumers aware of treatment
options that they might not otherwise know about. However, they also tend to tout the
benefits of the drug in a louder voice and the risks in a softer or faster voice with the
distraction of happy-looking people on the screen. As a result, some physicians are
concerned that their patients are not as aware of the risks involved with a particular drug
as they are with the benefits.
During certain times of the year, advertisements about diet, exercise and weight loss are
almost everywhere you look. Images of extreme thinness and a negative view toward
those who are larger, as well as exaggerated claims about the effectiveness of dieting, can
negatively impact body image and sense of self-worth, especially in young people.
Dishonesty that labels diet programs and lifestyle changes as always positive further
persuades vulnerable people to engage in choices that might not be the right fit for them
physically, developmentally or emotionally.

Globally, people spend an average of 135 minutes on social media each day.
Businesses and marketers have begun to capitalize on this reality through
advertisements. While most people engage in social media to connect with others,
in the process they are bombarded with professionally placed ads and friends
selling things, all of whom are trying to persuade them to spend their money.

The increase in direct sellers offering their products on social media means that the
lines between friends and salespeople are blurred. People often feel offended
when a friend they have not heard from in ages reaches out to them not to connect
but rather to try to sell something or get them to join their direct-selling team.

Even those doing the selling can become confused about the boundaries, as they
often copy and paste scripts offered by their companies, who have convinced them
that they are doing a service to their friends by selling to them.