Subconscious Seduction: How Advertising Shapes Reality

In today's world, advertising messages penetrate our consciousness even when we openly reject them. People may criticize and dismiss commercial ideas as superficial or even deceptive, yet these images subtly become a part of our inner world. Catchy slogans, memorable characters, and emotionally charged visuals embed themselves in our language and thoughts, turning into guiding stars that help us navigate everyday life.

At the very core of this phenomenon, advertising specialists deliberately create an alternative reality through which consumers begin to search for an unattainable happiness via the lens of a noticeably enhanced, almost utopian lifestyle. This is not merely an attempt to sell a product – it establishes a particular worldview where even the slightest details, such as the mannerisms or gestures of characters, become the standard. Such images seep into our consciousness from early childhood, when playing in a supermarket or overhearing a slogan takes the place of classic literature, thus forming inflated expectations and creating an internal conflict between real life and the idealized world of advertising.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that advertising remains a powerful force, capable of simultaneously provoking condemnation and infiltrating the subconscious, thereby shaping our social and consumer attitudes. Even if adults distance themselves with a critical eye, the younger generation inevitably accepts this visually rich and emotionally charged reality as the norm. Thus, the influence of advertising turns into a cultural phenomenon that, despite overt disillusionment, paves the way for the formation of new ideals and expectations, defining our future.

How does disillusionment with advertising affect the perception of commercial messages and the formation of people’s expectations? Disillusionment with advertising is revealed by the fact that, despite the explicit rejection and criticism of commercial messages, people unconsciously absorb the imposed images and ideas, which ultimately shape their expectations of life and consumer behavior. On one hand, even if someone verbally dismisses advertising as “nonsense and deceit,” it retains a foothold in the subconscious, allowing those “sweet” slogans and images to be stamped into language and thought. As noted in one source:

"Well, nonsense and deceit, basically. But I don't pay attention to it!" Many might say this when asked about their attitude towards advertising. Perhaps they really think so, but commercial advertising—unlike the appeals of the CPSU Central Committee—does not require people to agree with it verbally. Let them scold, let them despise it, as long as they internalize the imposed images; eventually, everything pays off. It seems that no one really takes advertising seriously—with expressions like “sweet couple” or “ate it and that’s that” lingering in our language for years after the original sources disappear from the screens. No one seems to attribute special importance to advertising—yet many recall “Lenya Golubkov, the freeloader,” more vividly than Tatyana Larina or Andrei Bolkonsky. No one really considers advertising the teacher of life—yet our highest-grossing films are directed by advertising filmmakers, and it is no coincidence that popular brands flash by in rapid video montages, from dumplings to automobiles… Even our jokes, post the beloved Leonid Ilyich, have mostly shifted their focus to advertising—a fact best proven by KVN. People tend to laugh only at what has become familiar, homely, and painfully well-known.

On the other hand, advertisers deliberately create a parallel reality that not only promotes a product but also shapes a particular worldview. This formation occurs through vivid images and stereotypes which, through repetition, become deeply embedded in the consciousness—often rendering the brand itself less significant but making the idea of an unattainable happiness and privileged lifestyle unforgettable. In one passage it is stated:

"Worse yet: almost any advertisement in fact promotes not merely a specific brand, but also a certain worldview. If that were not the case, advertising clips and announcements would simply tell you about the product’s properties: 'This is very tasty chocolate, an excellent detergent, a wonderful beer—you’ll definitely like them.' But that would be too dull. And so advertisers create their own parallel reality. It is vivid, it is memorable, especially when this virtual reality is shown to you again and again, making you learn by heart the faces, gestures, and phrases. You might not always recall the product’s name, but the impression of otherworldly happiness on the face of the advertising character becomes indelibly etched in your consciousness."

Thus, even if people express disillusionment and a negative attitude towards advertising, they inadvertently absorb its messages—a phenomenon that becomes especially evident in shaping the expectations of the younger generation. Children start to learn their "native language" not through the classics, but through slogans; their perception of the world is molded under the influence of advertising images, creating an inner conflict between reality and imposed expectations. This is exemplified in the following excerpt:

"A generation is growing up that learns its native language not from the poems of Marshak and Barto, but from advertising slogans. Children, pushing their little carts through the supermarket, glance around, recognize familiar products, and exclaim cheerfully: 'Super packaging—a fun party!' In a questionnaire, one of our daughter’s friends, who is neither bad nor foolish, answered the question 'What do you dream of?' with: 'That I have everything.' Everything? Intelligence, talent, health? Apparently, a premium-class car, a high-tech vacuum cleaner, an apartment in a prestigious building—everything that the ideologues of the consumer society obsessively instill in our children, alarmingly reminiscent of the former ideologues of socialism. A small child knows no conventions, understanding literally everything he sees and hears. For him, advertising characters are real people, and their lifestyle, tastes, preferences, and manner of speech become his benchmark."

At the same time, the comprehensive impact of advertising—especially through powerful channels like television—creates a duality: while adults may distance themselves and critically evaluate commercial messages, the younger generation, less capable of filtering out advertising influences, accepts the advertising reality as the standard, leading to the formation of inflated or unrealistic expectations from life. This is evidenced by reflections noting that advertising penetrates a person’s subconscious, creating a particular lifestyle and temptation that is hard to ignore:

"The church can offer little in opposition to advertising except a call to live without it. It is virtually impossible to avoid the impact of advertising: even if an adult is able to turn off the television, children remain far more vulnerable. Advertising affects a person comprehensively, including the subconscious. It uses aggressive methods to penetrate people’s lives, especially via television—the most aggressive object in the home. The essence of modern advertising is encapsulated in phrases like 'Take everything life has to offer' and 'Treat yourself.' This contradiction makes it difficult to perceive real life: either you accept the world as a commercial one, or you disconnect from the TV and free your soul."

Thus, disillusionment with advertising manifests not so much through an outright rejection of its messages but through a conflict between an overtly negative attitude and the subconscious absorption of images that create an illusion of ease and pleasure. This, in turn, affects the perception of commercial messages, making them memorable and decisive in shaping expectations, even if people remain critical of the forms and techniques of advertising.