Advertising and Public Relations as Institutions of Abundance

There are numerous institutions that currently exist in today's society. They have been mainstays of our culture for hundreds of years and offer us a source of tradition and stability. Examples of these institutions include the church, school systems, marriage and family. In the communication world, advertising and public relations have proven that they also deserve the title of "institution."

David M. Potter makes a strong argument for advertising as an institution, namely, an institution of abundance. Advertising dominates the media, and it shapes cultural standards. "...Institutions guide the life of the individual by conceiving of him in a distinctive way and encouraging him to conform as far as possible to the concept."[1] What is in the best interest of the consumer is not in the best interest of the advertiser. In today's society, supply outweighs demand, and therefore, it is necessary for advertisers to distinguish their product on either trivial or essential grounds - whichever will appeal more to the consumer. In return, advertisers must use an approach that will grab the attention of the consumer, and make that consumer feel like they cannot live without a certain product.

Public relations is another institution of abundance that has flourished in recent decades. Dr. Joyce Wolburg highlights numerous functions of public relations including: creating high demand for new products, assisting organizations in crisis situations, helping organizations restore damaged reputations, and gaining public support for various government organizations, among many other functions.[2] Public relations clearly provides crucial functions for companies and organizations in our capitalist society.

Both advertising and public relations keep the economic system that we are accustomed to, running smoothly. Without advertising, the individual's wants and desires would not be met with the current outpouring of products and solutions offered through numerous companies. Society today has become increasingly materialistic, a quality that advertising thrives on. Without public relations, companies would not have the resources necessary to help them maintain a positive image in the eyes of the public. Public relations professionals are able to use their knowledge and expertise to help companies succeed and make the best of any situation.

Within the Classical Liberalism model, Kim Rotzoll and Wolburg identify four major assumptions about the individual's role. The first and most important is intellectualism, which states that individual's act in a "deliberate, rational, and calculating manner." Egoism is the belief that self-interest motivates all behavior. Quietism is the assumption that there must be a promise of reward to motivate self-seeking behavior. Finally, atomism assumes that individuals are the essential elements to society. These assumptions are important to keep in mind when examining how well individuals can navigate through public relations and advertising strategies and tactics.

If you believe that the above four assumptions are accurate, then you could presume that all individuals are capable of making independent and rational decisions, without being persuaded by advertising and public relations. However, if you do not agree with the assumptions, you may also believe that not all individual are well equipped to navigate through the various advertising and public relations tactics. Advertising and public relations can be so subtle that an individual may not even realize that they have been affected by it.

The four assumptions come together to complete the idea of the "sovereign, self-seeking individual."[3] Advertisers and public relations practitioners are able to use this line of reasoning to defend what they do. If they believe consumers are autonomous individuals that make their own decisions, then they cannot be held morally responsible for the decisions that the consumer makes. However, this reasoning does not hold the advertiser and public relations practitioner accountable for their actions. With this reasoning, they can do or say whatever they want, and use the defense that individuals are autonomous and self-seeking, and they made the decision entirely on their own.

Advertisers and public relations practitioners should take more responsibility for the information that they are entering into the marketplace of ideas. Consumers need to hold them to higher standards, and expect more. Not all consumers are sovereign, self-seeking individuals - many, in fact, look at others to decide what they want. This need to 'keep up with the Jones'' is the perfect mindset for advertisers to feed on - they can offer you everything you want. With all of the messages an individual takes in on a daily basis, it can be difficult to navigate through and decide for oneself what is right and what is wrong or unnecessary.

If you can say that advertising and public relations are institutions that are relied upon to set society's values and standards, then it is crucial to hold them accountable for their influence upon individuals and society. Over the past century, advertising and public relations have taken on lives of their own, and it is up to the individuals to be well-educated on their goals, so they can truly be autonomous when making decisions.

[1] Potter, David M. "Institution of Abundance: Advertising." Pg. 25

[2] Wolburg, Dr. Joyce. "From Bricklayers to Architects: Insight into Advertising and Public Relations as Institutions in Society." Pg. 11

[3] Rotzoll, Kim. "Advertising and Classical Liberalism." Pg. 21