While there are those who may be offended by the advertising they see in magazines, on television, and online, I believe that most people would agree that advertisements are a good way for companies to sell their products. In fact, advertisements have become so prevalent that we often overlook them and assume that we need or want the products that they advertise. This, however, is not the case. While many advertisements do tell us about new products that may improve our lives, they also tell us to buy things that we really do not need. As consumers, we have become so accustomed to advertisements telling us that we need something, such as the newest iPhone, that we may forget to check whether or not we actually need it.

We often purchase items that are not necessities, simply because of the advertisements that tell us to do so. For example, many people can be seen walking in the aisles of grocery stores with carts full of products that they did not plan on buying. These people often say that they just needed one or two items, but that the ads were irresistible and convinced them to buy more. While advertisements do influence us, many times they do not make logical sense. For example, an ad for a new car may claim that the car will last for ten years, but in actuality, it will require repairs or replacement after only five years. In this case, the ad would make us think that we are saving money by buying a new vehicle, when in fact we are actually spending more.

Another way in which advertisements make us buy things that we really do not need is by paying us to buy products. Many advertisements promise great deals on products if we purchase them using a particular credit card. For example, an advertisement for a company selling travel packages may claim that if we use a particular credit card to purchase our tickets, we will get a discount on the price. While this is enticing, it is not always true. Some credit card companies actually make money by charging customers a fee to use the card. Companies do this because most people will not take the time to do the math and figure out whether or not they are getting a good deal.

Another way in which advertisements make us buy things that we really do not need is by telling us that a product is new. New products may have the same features as older products, but may have different packaging. Additionally, new brands may promise the same features that older brands offer, but do so at a higher price. For example, a brand may make a new batch of laundry detergent and claim that it cleans better than the old brand. However, the new detergent may contain the same chemicals as the old detergent, just in a different form. If the price seems too high, we should always carefully compare the features of the two products.

The conclusion from all of this is that, as consumers, we need to learn how to resist the lures of advertisements. Rather than buying items based on the promises of advertisements, we should compare products carefully and base our purchasing decisions on what is best for us, not what is best for the company.

In conclusion, advertisements can be extremely useful. They allow us to learn about new products, and to learn about sales and promotions. However, advertisements also make us buy things that we really do not need, and this wastes our time and money. This is why we need to learn how to resist the lures of advertisements, and base our purchasing decisions on what is best for us, instead of what is being sold to us.