Advertising permeates modern society. Advertisements for all types of products and services can be found on billboards, magazines, televisions, newspapers, radios, subways, and buses. Increasingly, ads are becoming a staple on Internet pages as well. Many media outlets, such as television and radio stations, magazines, and newspapers, depend on the revenues generated by advertising for their survival.

Many people argue that advertising is harmful to society. Some contend that advertising promotes consumerism and materialism by suggesting—either directly or indirectly—that the acquisition of material objects such as a new car or dishwasher can provide meaning and happiness to people’s lives. Critics insist that the messages of advertisers are manipulative, encouraging people to purchase products they do not really need simply to increase the profits of corporations.

On the other hand, defenders of advertising view it as a...