Nowadays, advertising plays a major role in everyday life. Companies are constantly searching for new ways to attract potential customers and to distance themselves from traditional and outdated marketing methods.
One very effective form of advertising which is widely used is "shock advertising". It is usually used to highlight a problem and by exposing this problem in a stark and shocking manner so as to leave an imprint on the viewer. Good examples of these types of ads are the Oxfam ads showing extremely poorly and sick children starving in third world countries and the hard-hitting ads for the NSPCC in which abused children speak directly to the viewer, exposing the treatment they receive at the hands of their tormentors.
Another very popular form of advertising is comical advertising. Various companies opt for the funny and sometimes outrageous approach when selling their product. They hope that by making him laugh, they will leave their mark with the viewer and the next time he visits the supermarket, their product will stick out by simple association to the ad.
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Banana Advertising
English: Logo for the National Society for the Pre...A few examples of this type of advert are the ones for various lagers such as "Stella Artois" and "Fosters". The only problem with funny advertising is that not everyone has the same sense of humour and so each advert will only attract certain people.
With the advances in technology over the years, new forms of advertising and also new platforms for advertising are appearing. The most notable of these platforms is, of course, the internet. Internet sites have become a marketing haven for companies wishing to sell a product and one can seldom visit a website without stumbling upon and ad for something or another. From simple banners at the top of a webpage to hugely annoying "pop-up ads", the...