Modern-day youths are immersed in cultures of consumption such that every aspect of their lives is touched by a buy-and-consume modality. They are receiving an endless barrage of material messages that encourage purchasing behaviour and consumption that impacts the self-image. Therefore, I do concede that advertisements are persuasive in encouraging consumerism in youths.
Firstly , mass media plays a vital role in advertising and encourages consumerism in youths because it is a powerful medium that is ubiquitous in the modern society. The advanced in technology has made it possible for manufacturers to advertise their products with more zeal than before. Advertisements are found on billboards around towns, on the internet, radio and on television so that it can reach out to youths who are attached to entertainment. Besides this, the mass media uses endorsements in advertising by featuring slim and flawless women to promote their products. This becomes an issue when the young and impressionable youths , especially the girls, are influenced by it. These advertisements bombard an image of celebrities with perfect figures and looks. As a result, teenage girls start to have low self-esteem and desire to be what they view on advertisements. To achieve a sense of satisfaction and an ideal beauty, they may chose extreme forms of dieting like the Atkins Diet to lose weight. Thus, the impact of the media is exacerbated because they deliberately target the young and impressionable.
Secondly, advertisements have a powerful impact on consumerism in youths and encourage them to purchase more because advertisements use manipulative tactics that influence in ways we don't even realise. Businessmen behind the creation of the advertisements make millions of money because of consumer’s ignorance in the product that is shown or said about in their presence. However, teens are just human beings and are easily targeted. The business people know how to attract its teen audience...