Here is the class notes from Class 7 NCERT Civics – Chapter 7: Understanding Advertising

Advertisments

  • Advertisements draw our attention to various products products and describe them positively so that we become interested in buying them.
  • Advertising is all about building brands.
  • At a very basic level, ‘branding’ means stamping a product with a particular name or sign.
  • This is done in order to differentiate it from other products in the market.
  • It is used by companies to increase sales by making people aware of or interested in their products.

Purpose of Advertising

  • Brand Recognition: Helps us remember a product or company name.
  • Persuasion: Tries to convince us that we need a product.
  • Creates a Lifestyle Image: Shows how a product can improve our life or status.
  • Increases Competition: Encourages better quality and services.

Advertising and Brand

  • A brand is the special identity of a product (name, logo, slogan).
  • Advertising builds brand value – the trust or image of the product in the minds of consumers.
  • Example: People choose branded shoes like Nike for quality and status.

Where Do We See Advertisements?

  • TV, Newspapers, Magazines
  • Social media and websites
  • Billboards, Hoardings
  • Radio and Cinema
  • Public transport

Techniques Used in Advertising

  • Emotional Appeal: Links product to feelings (love, success, care).
  • Celebrity Endorsement: Famous people promote the product.
  • Comparison: Claims one brand is better than others.
  • Repetition: Showing the ad many times to fix it in the viewer’s mind.

Impact of Advertising

  • Positive:
    • Informs us about products and choices.
    • Encourages competition and innovation.
  • Negative:
    • Creates false needs and unrealistic expectations.
    • Encourages consumerism (buying things we don’t need).
    • Can create brand obsession or ignore local/small products.

Cost of Advertising

  • Advertising is expensive.
  • Companies recover this cost by increasing the price of products.
  • So, consumers end up paying more.

Social Messages in Ads

  • Some ads promote social awareness (like Swachh Bharat, Save Water).
  • These are made by the government or NGOs to inform or educate people.
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