Poster advertisements have lig been a target of citics. Their sting has sometimes made them one of civilization' s major eyesores.They have also been a hazard to road safety by distracting motorists from the road ahead.In recent years, however much has been done both by legislature and by people in advertising itself, to meet these criticisms

 

Far more obtrusive than poster advertising is loudspeaker advertising which enjoy what has been described as a captive audience The victims can only endure or flee.The Harold Rosss editor of the new worker who led a successful campaign against the use of this kind of advertising on public transport in washington summed upbthe ussue in these words.Equally strong objections have been made to subliminal advertising which depends on the fact that both aural and visual impressions can be made on the mind while the person concerned is unaware of them.The first operational experiment in sublions advertising was in a movie theatre in new jersey U.S.A in 1957. The words Coca-cola and East popcorn were flashed on to the screen so rapidly that the audience was not conscious of them but according to the company that made the experiment sale of coca cola went up by a sixth and the sales of popcorn by a half. Although it is doubtful that subliminal communication could make anyone do anything they did not want to do the advertising indoctrination especially in the field of political ideas that it has raised.

 

Legislion and the conscience of advertising men have between them curbed many of the worst excesses of advertising . But the question still remains what is a fair claim ? And it is here that the device of consumer protection societies which test and compare good can be invaluable. Their activities encourage the public to view advertisements dispassinately and impel the men who make them to moderate their claims. Behind the work of sach organizations lies the belief that as in politics freedom of choice is meaningless unless we really understand what we are choosing between.