It is used by anyone who can afford it, to sell products and sell messages. It is, arguably, the most important vehicle today for getting messages to people. If the only messages being advertised, are those of the interests that can afford to advertise, then most of us are disenfranchised. Advertising in its broadest sense extends well beyond paid space in a newspaper or paid time on television. It includes sponsorship of events, product placement in movies, even underwriting materials and programs in schools.
Advertising uses subtle, often devious, messages to sell products.
Du Maurier in Canada sponsors some wonderful musical events, but what they really hope to achieve is to sell more cigarettes. Sometimes the techniques used are more cynical, more evil. BC Hydro is filling newspapers and television with expensive advertising this year. What Hydro is actually selling is their strategy to supply present and future electricity demand in BC from natural-gas fired generation. The economic costs and risks, and environmental downside of the planned plants and pipelines, are sidestepped completely.