The Effectiveness of an Ad

All advertisement is effectively suggestion. There is no ad that does not aim to brainwash people into thinking one way or another or buying a product or service. At the surface, ads do one of three things: They convince you to buy a product that you didn't know you needed (eg. a wearable towel), they convince you to think in a different way about something otherwise controversial (eg. a presidential/congressional candidate), they convince you their product is better than a similar one (eg. Apple phones versus Samsung phones). However, there's much more to advertisements than just attention to the product. Advertisers all have an agenda that they convey to their audience, which they do knowingly or unknowingly. 

Take this ad for instance. It seems like it is just a simple coffee ad, but who is it trying to appeal to? What does it imply? Firstly, it's a heterosexual couple; this isn't a bad thing, though it does show that the creator of the ad and/or product may be uncomfortable with homosexuality and they are trying to avoid it, or they are trying to appeal to an audience who is heterosexual and/or uncomfortable with homosexuality. Whether or not the creator of the ad and/or product intended to create such a view of sexuality in their ad, they still did and it will affect the viewer's opinions subliminally. Similarly, they are both white, which sends a message about who they intend to have buy their product. More importantly, both of the people in this ad appear to be rich or at least very well off: they're both well dressed, implying they have good jobs; they have good hair, perfect skin, perfect teeth, and perfect features. The advertiser is claiming that this is who the product is intended for, that this is the normal family they expect to reach out to: a rich white couple.

At first glance, this ad doesn't do anything for the viewer or make them interested in it in any way. But the message will stick with them; this is part of how people create a basis for what is "normal," which impacts their view on the world, creating a defined line between what is normal and what is not. This not only affects how they think of treat and others, but also of how they think of themselves. If they are not rich, white, good looking, or heterosexual, they will feel some sort of difference and think of themselves below the "line of acceptability" that the advertiser has instilled in them. If they are (or think they are) above this line, then they will think of themselves as better than the people below them. Advertisers are partly responsible for the tension between different socioeconomic, racial, and sexual groups.