The Impact of Online Advertising on Consumerism, Amongst University of Fort Hare Students

Abstract

The penetration and significance of the internet to communication processes have made it an essential accessory in commercial processes. The internet is the platform for various new developments in telecommunications and media, including the advertising sector. Marketers are beginning to set aside part of their advertising budget for online advertising. This study explores the impact of online advertising and its promotion of consumerism amongst students. Specifically‚ the study examines to what extent are students exposed to online advertising, how much the exposure to online advertising influences student consumerism and what are the reasons for the growing use of the internet as a channel of advertisements. This research is built on a multidisciplinary approach in terms of its theoretical framework by combining theories from mass media, new media, advertising and political economy, because the internet is a part of the mass media, in as much as it is a new form of media. A single theory approach can not exhaustively address the questions of the social impact of online adverting therefore these three theories namely; technological determinism, cybernetic capitalism and Suggestion theory are employed. Three concepts of online advertising in the market arena namely; a seller’s market is emerging in online advertising; marketers are demanding more accountability and consumers are demanding more control are examined in this study. This study hypothesized that the invasion of the internet by online adverts, is promoting the equation of personal happiness with the purchasing of material possessions and consumption, otherwise known as consumerism amongst students. Results of the study revealed that; students respond to online adverts; it motivates them to purchase and more than half confessed to consuming online advertised Services and products in order to feel happy and to fall into a social class in the society. Recommendations are made with regards to balanced viewing of educational online adverts by students, students not equating consumption or purchasing with happiness and the school subscribing to various recent journals.