1. Recall Ads

Think about advertisements you’ve seen recently

(TV, social media, billboards, YouTube, etc.).

You may also reflect on ads shown during class.

2. Write Your Reflection

Use a journal/essay style.

Be personal and reflective.

Address the following guiding questions:

Which ad was the most effective for you? Why?

Which ad raised ethical concerns (e.g.,

misleading, exaggerated, stereotyping)?

How does advertising affect your own

consumer behavior—have you ever

bought something because of an ad?

In your opinion, does advertising

help or harm society more? Why?

3. Format

Minimum of 200 words.

4. Deadline

Post your entry until tonight at 10:00 PM.

BA COMMUNICATION 4D

Elective 8 | Advertising

One advertisement that really stayed with me was from Close Up, a toothpaste company. I first saw it on my phone through a video posted by a netizen, showing a billboard along the road. The billboard was very creative because it was split into two parts. Each side showed a person from the rainbow community, and when you looked at it from the center, it seemed like the two of them were about to kiss. Right in the middle was the message, “Dare to Close the Gap.”

This ad was memorable and emotional for me because it was more than just about toothpaste, it was about love and acceptance. I think it was made for Pride Month, which is why it touched me deeply. As part of the LGBTQIA+ community, it felt empowering to see this kind of representation in public, especially in the Philippines where acceptance is still a struggle. What I admired most was how Close Up bravely showed this kind of love openly. It gave me hope that change is possible and reminded me that love, in all its forms, deserves to be celebrated.

Here's the link: (https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSA3qKTJE/)

For me, the advertisement of the Department of Tourism titled "Love Philippines" raised ethical concerns. It was supposed to promote our country, but it was discovered that the campaign used stock videos from other countries.

This was unethical because it was misleading. Instead of showing the real beauty of the Philippines, it gave a false impression of what tourists would see. It also damaged the credibility of the campaign and disappointed many people. For me, tourism ads should always be truthful, since they represent the culture and identity of a nation. We already have so many beautiful places to show, so there was no need to rely on stock footage.

Video link: https://youtu.be/y5vX8ZqkHaY?si=W1MEgFBWe6Jf2Fyb

Time stamp of the stolen footages: (0:16) (0:37)

Sometimes advertisements affect me, but most of the time they don’t really influence my decisions. One time it did was when I bought a meal from Jollibee after seeing an ad that said you would get a BINI photocard with it. Since I was a fan, I decided to try it. I ended up buying the meal, and I was satisfied because I enjoyed both the food and the free photocard.

In my opinion, based on the lesson I have watched and listened to, advertising helps society more than it harms it. In terms of economic status, advertisements play an important role in the growth of a country because they encourage consumerism and support businesses. I don’t think ads are completely harmful, because at the end of the day, it is still up to the consumer to decide whether to buy the product or not.

4-D

When I was a kid, I would always watch commercials and guess them while closing my eyes and counting.

The advertisement that caught my attention was the Jollibee ad watch was like a story featuring Karen ( a cashier ), with her grandmother as her customer. So for me, it was very effective because it showed the theme of love, family and hard work. The story felt real and relatable, especially since many grew up with the love and care of their grandmother. The ad connected emotionally and left a lasting impression, it was more than just selling food, it told a story of gratitude.

I also notice that some ads raise ethical concerns. For example, there are ads that exaggerate the benefits of a product, making it seem more effective that it actually is. Sometimes, beauty product ads stereotypes people by suggesting that lighter or a particular look is the only way to be beautiful. These can be misleading and harmful, especially to young women who are still developing their self-esteem.

In fact, advertising influences my behavior. I have bought products simply because they seem convincing or appealing to me. However, through experience, I have learned to be more careful and critical.

In my opinion, advertising can both help and harm society. It helps by informing people about products and by inspiring values such as family, hard work, and love. But it can also be harmful when it manipulates emotions, spreads unrealistic standards or pushes people to buy things the don't need.

Overall, I believe that ads is powerful, it reflects society but also has the power to shape it, so it should be used responsibly.

4-D

When I was a kid, I would always watch commercials and guess them while closing my eyes and counting.

The advertisement that caught my attention was the Jollibee ad watch was like a story featuring Karen ( a cashier ), with her grandmother as her customer. So for me, it was very effective because it showed the theme of love, family and hard work. The story felt real and relatable, especially since many grew up with the love and care of their grandmother. The ad connected emotionally and left a lasting impression, it was more than just selling food, it told a story of gratitude.

I also notice that some ads raise ethical concerns. For example, there are ads that exaggerate the benefits of a product, making it seem more effective that it actually is. Sometimes, beauty product ads stereotypes people by suggesting that lighter or a particular look is the only way to be beautiful. These can be misleading and harmful, especially to young women who are still developing their self-esteem.

In fact, advertising influences my behavior. I have bought products simply because they seem convincing or appealing to me. However, through experience, I have learned to be more careful and critical.

In my opinion, advertising can both help and harm society. It helps by informing people about products and by inspiring values such as family, hard work, and love. But it can also be harmful when it manipulates emotions, spreads unrealistic standards or pushes people to buy things the don't need.

Overall, I believe that ads is powerful, it reflects society but also has the power to shape it, so it should be used responsibly.

Which ad was the most effective for you?

Why?

Ongoing acts of genocide in Palestine have deeply affected me, especially after learning that several well-known brands are allegedly involved in supporting Israel, which is the one carrying out these attacks. I came across a youtube advertisement promoting the boycott of brands linked to this issue. The ad emphasized how purchasing products from these companies indirectly contributes to the suffering of innocent people. Witnessing the reality of civilians—particularly children—losing their lives and dreams left me deeply saddened. As a result, the advertisement was effective in raising my awareness, leading me to gradually stop buying products from the brands included on the boycott list. This experience has strengthened my empathy and commitment to supporting the movement for justice and peace through campaigns such as #Boycott and #FreePalestine.

https://youtu.be/50QqRWDRjnM?si=ThzG0clpnjUuSId5

Which ad raised ethical concerns (e.g., misleading, exaggerated, stereotyping)?

The Kojie San soap advertisement has become popular on social media. While I initially enjoyed it because of its use of Filipino humor, I also felt sad about how the preference for lighter skin among many Filipinos has turned into an obsession. This mindset may come from the colonial influence of Western countries in the Philippines, as well as the stereotype that having fair skin means beauty and wealth, while having dark or brown skin is often seen as unattractive and poor. Media and advertising have also contributed to this way of thinking by mostly featuring celebrities and models with lighter skin, reinforcing the idea that fair skin is more desirable. By this, many Filipinos develop insecurities about their natural skin tone, and these beliefs are often passed down to the next generation, making it a sad reality.

https://youtu.be/d5sZ1RMQO_I?si=8VjiBeM10gV5dxgj

How does advertising affect your own consumer behavior—have you ever bought something because of an ad?

To be honest, I’ve often wondered whether advertisements or billboards are truly effective. Do they actually make me want to buy something? I’ve watched many TV commercials and social media ads, and I realize that, yes, they can be effective—especially when it comes to food. When advertisers use creative and visually appealing ways to showcase delicious-looking products, it really makes me want to try or buy what they’re promoting.

In your opinion, does advertising help or harm society more? Why?

Advertisements only become harmful when the message they deliver is problematic, such as promoting racism or stereotypes. Other than that, advertisements can be helpful if they communicate the right message to the audience.

The type of advertisement that pulled my heartstrings are tv commercials that tells a story. For an instance, Jollibee, McDonald's, and Lucky Me commercials which relates the product to heartwarming stories. They are great at product and service placement because it includes stories that people can relate to and analyze— which inspires discussions online and even nominations in the Anvil Awards a.k.a the Oscars of the Philippines in terms of Public Relations.

The type of advertisement that raised ethical concerns was the ads featured on New York Subway. It shows posters consisting nudity and sexual illustration that's displayed for everyone to see— including children. Marketing and advertisement should be prepared with consideration and responsibility to the public. Therefore, the advertisement directly violates ethical concern for displaying it in a public space, where untargeted audiences— like children will see it.

As a consumer, I'm very particular with the product and services that I avail. However, I have one kryptonite. That is the advertisements that involved the people I am an avid fan of. Due to that, I was implored to but skin products that they were ambassador or endorser of. Luckily, the skin products I bought had good effects on my skin. If not, the advertisement bait would have been worse.

Advertisement for me is good for the society as long as it's used with responsibility. First of all, it promotes globalization of products which could contribute to economic growth of a country or a company. It can also be inspirational if disseminated through storytelling. It only becomes negative when advertisement promotes consumerism— which worsens global warming and the health of the planet because of the pile of garbage and products produced everyday. Advertisement can also promote negative ideologies— for example, Dove's advertisement about colorism. Thus, other endorsers and ambassadors promoting corporation products and services that funds violence. In conclusion, Advertisement has its fair share of positive and negative effects. Therefore, a future communication gradutes, we can contribute to better use of advertisement in the future.

Lovito ads have a big effect on me because they did not sell clothes; they inspired me. Their brand may be simple, but it’s powerful. Every piece speaks confidence, comfort, and self-expression. “Love what you wear and wear what you love.” That sentence drew me in and motivated me even more.

Lovito benefits society more than it damages, especially by promoting entrepreneurship, self-expression, and access to fashion. Lovito, especially, is affordable and budget-friendly, and I would describe it as classy and stunning. It may boost confidence and let you express yourself more fully. "Lovito's vision is to become a community-first fashion brand, making fashion fun, accessible, and an authentic form of self-expression for women. Now, I am a part of that mission, not just wearing and loving it, selling and promoting their clothes, but also helping other women find themselves confident and seen in what they wear.

As a fan of romance stories, I was truly fascinated by how they incorporated a touching narrative into the promotion of their product. Advertisements with a story and heart are always the most effective for me.

Recalling advertisements I've seen these past few years, I think the advertisement that raised ethical concern is the advertisement for Kojisan, a whitening soap. In the ads it's illustrating and suggesting that having white skin means being beautiful, and having darker skin says otherwise. It was a controversial ad that raised ethical concerns and stereotyping. especially people from the West. Up until now, whitening products with stereotyping advertisements are still rampant in the market, especially when the target markets are Asian. But there are also companies that promote inclusivity with their advertisements, like Dove's advertisement.

I think advertising affects consumer behavior by having celebrities use their product. Because we, normal people, tend to see celebrities as out of touch, but having the same product they use feels like we are on their level. And also it's more convincing, especially when they're selling beauty products while having a beautiful endorser. I remember buying a skincare product because the endorser looked so beautiful, and I wanted to have the skin she has.

Although some advertisements can be misleading or contain false claims, we cannot deny that advertising plays a significant role in society especially in the economy. It helps drive consumer spending, promotes businesses, and creates jobs. aside its economic benefits, advertising also has a powerful influence on mass communication. When used efficiently and responsibly, it becomes a valuable tool for spreading awareness on important issues such as public health, environmental protection, and social causes.

For example, campaigns promoting vaccination, anti-smoking efforts, or mental health awareness have all been made more impactful through effective advertising. These messages can reach a broad audience quickly and create lasting impressions that lead to real behavioral change.

Overall, I believe advertising brings more benefits than harm, as long as it is regulated properly to prevent manipulation and misinformation. With the right balance of creativity, responsibility, and oversight, advertising can be a force for positive change in society.