Q.'Expenditure on advertising is a social waste.' Do you agree? Discuss.

I do not agree with the statement that expenditure on advertising is a social waste. Advertising serves several essential functions that benefit both businesses and society.

First, advertising informs consumers about the availability, features, and prices of products. This information helps buyers make rational choices, which is a core function in a market economy. Without advertising, consumers would struggle to know what is on offer.

Second, advertising supports mass production. When a product is widely advertised, demand increases, allowing firms to produce on a larger scale. This often leads to lower per-unit costs, which can translate into lower prices for consumers — a clear social gain.

Third, advertising generates revenue for media — newspapers, television, and digital platforms. This revenue keeps the cost of media low for the public and funds independent journalism and entertainment. In that sense, advertising indirectly supports a free press. …

The statement that expenditure on advertising is a social waste has been debated for decades. To answer this, we must first understand what advertising is and what it does. Advertising is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. Its core purpose is to inform, persuade, and remind consumers. But does this activity ultimately benefit society, or does it merely drain resources?

Let us begin with the case against advertising — the arguments that support the view that it is a social waste.

Critics argue that advertising adds to the cost of the product. A company spends crores on a television campaign or a full-page newspaper ad, and these costs are ultimately passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. The consumer pays not just for the product, but for the advertisement that sold it. This is a direct economic waste.

Furthermore, advertising is often accused of creating artificial needs. It does not merely inform you of a product you need; it makes you want things you never knew you wanted. A new smartphone every year, a particular brand of sneakers, a face cream that promises youth — these are not genuine necessities. Advertising fuels a culture of materialism and dissatisfaction, where people are constantly urged to buy more, often beyond their means.

There is also the charge of manipulation and deception. Many advertisements exaggerate benefits, use misleading visuals, or make claims that cannot be verified. When advertising misleads consumers, it does not just waste money — it causes real harm. People may buy products that are useless or even dangerous, trusting the promise of the ad.

Finally, advertising is accused of promoting a "throwaway" culture. By constantly pushing new models and styles, it makes older but perfectly functional products seem obsolete. This leads to waste of resources and environmental damage.

Now, let us consider the other side — the arguments that defend advertising as a productive and necessary activity.

First, advertising is a powerful source of information. For a consumer, an advertisement tells you what products are available, what they do, where to buy them, and at what price. In a large and complex market, this information is essential. Without advertising, a consumer would have to spend enormous time and effort just to find out what is on offer. In this sense, advertising reduces the cost of search and makes markets more efficient.

Second, advertising supports the economy in a very tangible way. The advertising industry provides employment to millions — from copywriters and graphic designers to media owners and printers. It also generates substantial revenue for newspapers, television channels, and digital platforms. Without advertising, many of these media would either be far more expensive for the public or would simply not exist. …