ADVERTISING: SOME PROS AND CONS

Advertising plays an important role in our lives. This is

unarguable (undeniable). It is everywhere, conditioning our decisions,
invading our privacy, but also entertaining us with its catchy music
and attractive images. So, does advertising really improve our lives?
(5)
Or, on the contrary, is it such a horrible issue that limits our
freedom? Or, is it only an inevitable toll we have to pay for our
current comfort?

Obviously, among the supporters of advertising are the many workers

in this growing business that contributes to (3)the economic development
and improves (3)the artistic creation. Undoubtedly, it is nowadays widely
accepted that publicity is a field for artistic expression, as worthy as
painting or music. Having said that, advertising constantly updates its
function of informing consumers about the qualities of competing
products or services by means such as the subtle product placement on
TV, the innovative viral marketing on the internet and the door-to-door
delivery of brochures boasting the last offer.

On the contrary, advertising also faces its fierce critics, who (2)
are not precisely lacking (3)of reasons> do not precisely lack reasons.
Publicity campaigns do not advertise products or services but brands,
usually making use of false ideals and images. Well-known examples are
the commercials (3)of cars, perfume or trainers,> car, perfume or trainer
commercials, all of them misleading their potential buyers to identify
the brand with a specific ideal of beauty or life success that truly
leads to frustration in many cases. The bombardment of adverts (3)in on
private stations exasperates even the most patient and brand-loving (3)of
(3)
the members of the audience.

So, were it not for advertising, could our consumer society, with
all its mod cons, be possible? My personal answer is plain: it could
not. This does not mean that we should not search for fairer ways of
publicity and, additionally, provide consumers with the instruments to
manage this phenomenon.

BLUE: better option; RED: error; GREEN: correction.

JAVIER GÓMEZ, CAL C1.