Peer Pressure
In this background paper, we will be discussing advertising and how it uses peer pressure to influence our buying power in consumer science. Our experiment will address these key issues and how they work together. Our presentation is focused on the tactics used in successful advertising of a product using commercials to influence consumers. A consumer is a person who purchases goods or services for personal, family, and business use. Consumers have a choice to pick and choose what products they would like to use or buy. Consumers play a vital role in our economy. The more people spend, the greater success of the company, the more jobs created and the more tax revenue for our government. (Consumer Dictionary.com). This consumer can be persuaded by advertisements of products. Advertising is about selling a product and the how this is done is by using by bright colors, sentimental values, sex appeal, brand name, jingle tunes, slogans, low involvement, high involvement, celebrity endorsements and humor, in commercials.
Humor is a common method used by advertisers to create an interest in their product. This method seems to be wonderful for getting consumers attention, it works really well. People like funny situations they tend to relax and pay attention when something can invoke their sense of humor. This puts them in a good mood, creates a more comfortable atmosphere and a more positive image for the company or product. This makes the product easier to remember.
Advertising humor also needs to be well suited for its target audience. If your customers don’t get the joke, then the joke will be on you. A sophisticated audience will understand your irony, satire, and puns, but a young audience may only understand slapstick comedy or a silly cartoon caricature. (Barns & Nobles. (1990). encyclopedia .Volume 4). Good advertising grabs people almost immediately. Ads need to be able to grab a person’s attention at first glance. (Marshall Brain. (1998-2012). Describing some of the other tactics used to influence the consumer are:
• The first thing you notice in an advertisement is colors. Colors and packaging have a large effect on advertising. Packaging colors will help your product stick out.. When the advertisement is more serious, you will want to choose more toned down colors. Most children are attracted to bright and flamboyant products. Design and colorful packaging attracts children easily. “Color is one form of sensory input that your brain uses to interpret important elements of your surroundings.” (The Brooks,L. "Why Are Eyes Attracted to Bright Colors".)

• Slogans play a huge part in advertisement. Slogans leave an ever lasting impression on your brain. Slogans and jingles draw in consumers. Examples are “I’m loving’ it!” from McDonalds, “Red Robins yum!” from Red Robins, and “Subway eat fresh!” from Subway. Slogans and jingles allow consumers to memorize the product. People will hear the products jingle or slogan and know what product it represents. It is difficult to prove advertising makes decisions for people, according to the Center for Media Literacy. It can, however, serve more effectively to confirm what the culture in general says about a product. Volvo made "safety" the center of its advertising to the point where safety is the hallmark of the car brand. Honda has done the same with "reliability." This has become a cultural "fact." This type of advertising confirms what the culture already "knows" about the product. In this case, those who are looking for safety or reliability will go to those respective brands first.

• Celebrity endorsements have the power to help products get sold. If you see a celebrity saying that they like and recommend a certain product then you’re probably going to want that product. Celebrities will make products more popular. When super sports stars like the basketball player Michael Jordon wears gym shoes while playing in the NBA then everyone young and old wants a pair in spite of the $200 price. Models will also affect sales of products. When you see a shampoo commercial that has a model with long luscious hair, you want your hair like hers, so you think that if you buy that shampoo your hair will look like the models’. Then many ads are over exaggerated. If there is a commercial where a man sprays cologne on himself and a group of girls chase him, guys will think that the cologne will attract girls, so they buy it. The cologne might attract girls or it might not, that’s the same with most products, the results may vary.
In order for one to sell a product, the buyers need to know what you’re talking about. The advertisers need to speak loud and clear. If they don’t speak clearly no one will understand them. When the consumer doesn’t understands or know what the product is or does the advertisers can’t sell the product. Advertisers need to know what they’re talking about. You want your ad to be heard and sold. Being clever and creative in your ad also, helps when selling to the consumer. People look for interesting though promoting information. Cleverness is the key in successful advertisement. It must represent the product in a positive way. A smart and creative ad will represent a smart and creative company. Your ad needs to be original and unique. (Roggio, Armando.( July 1, 2011) Peer pressure is the influence that peers have on each other. A peer is a person of the same age, or abilities of another person. Peer pressure encourages individuals to change the way they are. When in peer groups or cliques, people may change their attitudes, virtues, and behaviors just to fit in.
Peer pressure can have both good and bad effects on the consumers. Peer pressure can cause serious problems such as depression, suicidal thoughts, bad behaviors, and inappropriate actions. “One of the major results of bad peer pressure is that one may be influenced into something that one really didn't want to do and subsequently cause dangerous behavior. Usually, people get backed into situations that experiment with illegal drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes and more times than not, these behaviors can become habit forming”. (Think Quest, 1996). Some kids give in to their peers’ pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others go along because they are curious to try something new the same as what others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" can influence some kids to leave their better judgment.
Peer pressure has many effects and a lot of people think they are only bad ones, but not always. When peer pressure has good effects it can be very beneficial. “According to experts, peer pressure is not all bad. They argue that the right group of friends can encourage a person to do positive things. Psychology lecturer at the Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) Anita Lebengo says although peer pressure has always been associated with "bad" things, there are some good traits or behaviors emitted by peer pressure. (Isaac Pinielo. (2011). Peer pressure can also cause people to reach goals, learn new talents, contribute something to society, and good behavior. Peer pressure affects everyone. It can be seen clearly in teens and young adults because they are usually in school where socially they try to be accepted with their peers. At this age teens are usually becoming more independent and aren’t as influenced by their parents. Teens tend to act out and use bad judgment to be accepted by their friends and other people. Parents often worry about their children at this age because they can develop bad habits from others. Parents can be a huge influence on their kids when they are young but they need to consistently talk to their teens. This might help them have a greater influence to stop their children from developing addictive behaviors.
Peer pressure occurs because most people just want to fit in with society today. They feel the need to be accepted by their friends and clique, so they will do whatever they can to fit in. They also want to be noticed by others whom may pressure them into bad behaviors, for teenagers it can seem very important to "fit in." Teens are very concerned about their images and they are worried about what others think about them. As a result, peer pressure is very influential in many teens' lives. This can influence their behavior, dress, attitude and buying practices. Peer pressure is basically the influence that others have on you.