Advertising and Memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertising and Memory - Essay Example This essay "Advertising and Memory" outlines how advertising affects our memory and creates "a false experience effect". A perfect example of how advertising makes use of this effect can be demonstrated using the Nestle advert. The Nestle advert picturing a family happily enjoying Nestle cookies while laughing on a beach or around a fire may make an individual think that the images are true. Additionally, these images may stick on one’s mind; thus, he or she may start picturing the events in the ad as real memories of his or her life. ‘False experience effect’, as well as how people perceive themselves and reality can have profound effects on their purchasing habits. This is because it gives one an impression that the images being displayed in the advert occurred, yet in the real sense; the experience never occurred. The impact of advertising is also influenced by implicit memory. This is a type of memory whereby previous memories assist in task performance without conscious awareness of such experiences. Implicit memory is important to advertisers because of various reasons. Implicit memory concerns itself with how people behave, and not what they recall. On the other hand, advertisers are interested in consumer behavior and not the manner in which advertisements are consciously remembered, because the customer behavior towards an ad will either result to an increase in sales or not. Advertisers have to reconsider the use of implicit memory while placing ads, for they determine the success of the advertising campaign.