Speaks Out

Published: Monday, July 20, 1998

Monday, July 20, 1998 Speaks Out

How do you think advertising affects our views and perceptions?

"I agree that advertising does influence us, but not to the extent that a lot of people claim. Like the model waif-look thing I think a lot of girls are silly enough to try to follow that trend, but most girls realize that such advertising is impossible to achieve. I think it's up to a person's character whether they're influenced by advertising or not. I don't think advertising blanketly affects everybody."

Codessa Gill

Fifth-year

Sociology

"In today's TV culture, our generation is raised on television, cable, video and film, where advertising has access to greatly impact the way people perceive themselves, how they feel about themselves. In today's culture, everything's about the image and being a part of that image, which has a great effect on the way people think about themselves, how they dress and how they act."

Frank Samson

Alumnus

Cybernetics

"Our generation is really savvy about advertising. If you see what they do now, they deliberately make fun of the advertising industry. I do think that advertising creates some problems, but when it comes to trying to sell a product, the adveritising agencies know that we're not going to fall for it. You know, like, "If you buy our sneakers you can jump like Michael Jordan." Nobody believes that anymore."

Diana Munoz

Fourth-year

English

"I think advertising companies tell us what to think and don't give us a chance to have our own views and opinions. Clothes, for example, you usually buy for the brand name and because of the big hype that's around it instead of for the quality it really has."

Alex Salguero

Computer science

"I definitely think everyone's influenced by advertising. If not, then products wouldn't sell. Why do you think there's so many anorexic and bulimic girls? Because they all want to be this image that they see in the paper and you know what she doesn't exist."

Jennifer Pegnato

Fourth-year

Criminal Justice

"Advertising is one of our major influences as far as shaping how we perceive our environment, especially because TV is becoming increasingly used as a learning tool. They show images of what is going to inspire a certain feeling in people, and they are not always the most wholesome images, but that's what we learn."

Gabe Rothman

Fourth Year

English