Advertisements have always been a global corporate obsession, as companies rely heavily on their adverts. Opinions on these portable pleas have always varied—ranging from people who go to lengths to avoid marketplace advertisers and aggressively skip ads on streaming platforms to those who purposefully attend movies early so they can see them in full. Whether you are an ad-lover or hater, it is unequivocally a part of our everyday life, for as long as we all can remember.
However, with this piece, I wish to magnify just how much advertisements have been integrated into our daily lives—or should I say, how our daily lives have been integrated into one big revolving advert? And what does this mean for our economy and socio-economic climate?
In recent years, the biggest phenomenon within the marketing multiverse has been influencer marketing. What began as just a bit of fun after a long day of school or work, social media has now become a full-time career for many, as brands leverage the following of viral creators, converting light-hearted content into formal, soulless ads. Whilst some creatives go the extra mile to discreetly integrate the ads into their content, the vast majority regurgitate lifeless scripts, promoting a product that has absolutely nothing to do with their personal brand or image—and, frankly, that they most likely have never actually used.
Furthermore, despite legal requirements to explicitly declare advertisements, many companies bypass these rules. With the gradual and not-so-subtle increase in ads, whether it’s double unskippable ads on YouTube or having to scroll through four different ads on your FYP before seeing a real TikTok, I dare say social media has become completely unusable without enduring persistent promotions. Without being overly precarious—as I understand people have to make a living—I can’t help but feel like every day I wake up in one big advertisement.
As a prior history student and current history lover, I quickly learned that adverts are never just adverts. More so, advertisements offer a small peek into the cultural landscape in which they are produced. Infamous adverts like Hoover UK’s 1953 “Christmas Morning She’ll Be Happier with a Hoover”, depicting a stereotypical housewife receiving a domestic tool instead of a real Christmas gift, magnified the sexist and paternalistic beliefs that were common orthodoxy in the 1950s. Similarly today, the sheer mass of advertisements in our everyday lives in 2025 reflects the conveyor belt of consumerism that we have normalized in our society, with apps like Klarna and Clearpay directly facilitating our overconsumption and living beyond our personal means.
However, rather than focusing on our historical and social climate—a conversation that could spiral into something far more extensive than a short article—I believe that the sheer volume of advertisements being pushed upon us is the true insight into our financial climate.
Our reality is that consumerism is at an all-time high, and with higher demand has come a surge in advertising rates. Beyond being consistently annoying, this gradual interception of ads everywhere carries a more insidious undertone. With both the national and global economy at an all-time low, financial insecurity within industries has skyrocketed. This is not aided by the constant pressure brands put on us to buy the newest and shiniest gadgets, things we likely do not actually want or need.
Rather than offering meaningful discounts, price freezes, or ethical business practices, brands are exploiting hard times by doubling down on their aggressive advertising techniques. This is no coincidence—during times of financial uncertainty and instability, people are more prone to panic buying, falling for deceptive “sales” that offer no real discounts, or indulging in retail therapy, which ultimately does nothing to improve their situation. Not to mention, this creates the perfect breeding ground for the overconsumption of fast fashion, an industry already notorious for ethical and environmental damage.
As consumerism continues to rise and advertisements infiltrate every aspect of our daily lives, we must ask ourselves—are we making conscious choices, or are we simply being conditioned to buy more and think less?