Influenced Without Knowing It? The Power of Modern Advertising

Have you ever found yourself humming a jingle from a commercial? Or choosing a product just because "it feels familiar"? Advertising is all around us—on billboards, trains, websites, YouTube, and even in the middle of your favorite series. But how much do these ads actually affect our decisions?

This lesson explores how advertising influences our behavior, sometimes without us even realizing it. From product placement in action movies to viral Super Bowl ads, we'll discover how companies use subtle strategies to shape our preferences—and how to talk about them using gerunds and infinitives.

🎒 Vocabulary Builder

All the words below appear in bold in the reading text. Learn their meanings and try using them in your own sentences.

• advert – an advertisement

• boost – to increase or improve something

• call to action – a prompt that encourages immediate response

• evidence – proof or data supporting an idea

• aim – to direct or intend toward a goal

• appear – to seem or become visible

• consider – to think carefully about

• dictate – to control or determine something

• ignore – to pay no attention to

• interfere – to get in the way of something

• leave an impression – to create a lasting effect

• mind – to be bothered by something

• perceive – to interpret or understand in a certain way

• persuade – to convince someone to do or believe something

• prove – to show something is true

• regret – to feel sorry about a decision

• annoying – irritating or bothersome

• crucial – extremely important

• distracting – taking your attention away from something

• enlightening – giving new insight or knowledge

✨ Expression Expedition (Idioms & Phrasal Verbs)

Advertising often appears in idioms and expressions we use every day. Here are some useful ones:

• Hit the target – to achieve exactly what you aimed for.
  “That advert really hit the target with young people.”

• Word of mouth – people talking about a product, like free advertising.
  “The restaurant became popular through word of mouth.”

• Pull the plug (on something) – to stop a project or campaign.
  “The company pulled the plug on its failed advertising campaign.”

• Catch someone’s eye – to get someone’s attention.
  “Bright colors in adverts are designed to catch your eye.”

• Sell like hotcakes – to sell very quickly and easily.
  “After the new ad, the shoes sold like hotcakes.”

👉 Try using these idioms in your own sentences about advertising.

🛤️ Reading Route

Advertising: The Silent Influencer

We live in a world where adverts are everywhere. They're in our social feeds, between YouTube videos, on the subway, and even hidden in movie scenes. But most people ignore them, believing they don’t affect their decisions. According to advertising experts, that belief is far from the truth.

Take the Red Bull Stratos event as an example. In 2012, Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from the edge of space, falling over 39,000 meters. The entire mission was sponsored by Red Bull. The stunt wasn’t just for thrill—it was a call to action cleverly disguised as a daredevil feat.

Red Bull’s aim was clear: to boost brand awareness and associate its energy drink with courage and extreme sports. And it worked.

Advertising often doesn’t appear to work because its influence is long-

term. Rather than persuading you immediately, it leaves an impression—a feeling or association that may influence your behavior later.

Companies consider this when designing ads. They use music, images, emotions, and storytelling to build brand identity. This is called emotional branding. You may regret spending money on an unnecessary item, but advertisers are betting that the feeling you associate with their product will win over logic.

Of course, advertising can also be distracting, even annoying. Pop-ups interrupting your video or influencers pushing products you don’t care about can interfere with your online experience. But that doesn’t stop companies. Why? Because there’s evidence it works.

So next time you see an ad, ask yourself: Am I being persuaded without knowing it?

📝 Route Review – Comprehension Quiz

True or False?

• Advertising usually works immediately after you see it.

• The Red Bull Stratos event was a form of product placement.

• People often think they’re not affected by advertising.

• Emotional branding tries to persuade through logic.

• Brands want you to associate their products with emotions.

✅ Answers:

• False

• True

• True

• False

• True

💡 The Power of Modern Advertising

Modern advertising is powerful because it uses technology, psychology, and creativity together. Here’s why it matters:

• Reach and Visibility – A single advert on Instagram or YouTube can be seen by millions in hours. Example: A TikTok ad for a snack brand goes viral worldwide.

• Precision Targeting – Platforms like Facebook or Google show ads based on your searches. Example: You search for “sneakers,” and suddenly you see sports shoe ads everywhere.

• Influence on Behavior – Ads don’t just sell products—they sell lifestyles and feelings. Example: Coca-Cola – sells the idea of happiness and togetherness, not just a sugary drink.

• Speed of Impact – A funny or emotional ad can spread globally within a day. Example: Super Bowl ads that people talk about for weeks.

• Economic Power – Companies with big advertising budgets dominate. Example: Apple launches global campaigns that make new iPhones “must-have” items.

• Cultural Power – Ads shape fashion, beauty, even politics. Example: Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign changed how many people perceive beauty standards.

👉 In short: advertising doesn’t just show products—it changes how people feel, think, and act.

⚙️ Grammar Gear (Gerunds & Infinitives)

Here are examples of how advertising often uses gerunds and infinitives in real-world English:

• Companies avoid annoying users with too many ads. (gerund)

• Advertisers aim to persuade through emotions. (infinitive)

• Many people don’t mind seeing ads if they’re entertaining. (gerund)

• Brands hope to create positive feelings. (infinitive)

• Good marketing means remembering what matters. (gerund)

🎯 Practice: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb (gerund or infinitive):

• Advertisers aim _______ (connect) with emotions.

• Most viewers avoid _______ (watch) long commercials.

• Companies try _______ (leave) a memorable message.

• We don’t always remember _______ (see) a specific ad.

• The goal is _______ (influence) your decision-making.

✅ Grammar Gear Answers:

• to connect

• watching

• to leave

• seeing

• to influence

📊 Peak Points – Fast Facts on Advertising