Since the dawn of profit-making, Humans have used marketing to ensure sales and boost the economy. For a while, advertisements seemed harmless and were just trying to cater to their target audience for sales, and have always been framed as neutral transactions, but with the new age of social media, it has morphed into a new form. It poses the question: has marketing become something more than simple persuasion?

In the early ages of marketing was mere product information, to showcase the practicality of the product. The biggest shift in the plane was around the 1920s, advertising showed up on the radio and magazine slightly shifting into the progressive uphill through the next 1000 years.

While at the time it was still considered an analog world, we never knew screens and new technology from that point without marketing, so when the tides changed, it was completely normal that they were prevalent.

Fast forward to the present day, and humans are constantly being surrounded by screens. At work, at school, in public, in homes, ordering food, paying for goods and services. It’s made connecting, communicating, and creation more accessible; it’s also made our brains and the way that humans function more accessible to big corporations to come up with marketing strategies to sell.

Business and Marketing teacher Stacy Sajder has seen a change in marketing over the years.

“Marketing has changed over the decades because we’re doing less print and more online… It used to be billboards, newspapers, magazines, snail mail coming through the postal service,” Sajder said.

Marketing is not a stagnant business; it evolves with the times. Marketers have to keep up with what’s going on in the world and what’s hot to use it as an appeal for their campaigns, and social media and online interaction are great ways to stay on top of the curve and reach new audiences.

“I like the fact that marketing is ever changing, it’s not the same… it helps drive innovation [and] helps with function. It pushes people to really get out of their comfort zones and make videos,” Sajder said.

The fact of the matter is, customers have to pay attention to the intention when we receive these ads and how we respond as consumers. The dollar holds power in what is considered successful marketing. These businesses have to do their part in their campaigns. Consumers have noticed that ads on social media are too frequent and repetitive.

Marketing is a concept that comes with push and pull and is a two-way street between itself and the consumer. With the rise of social media, marketing has the potential to be at its apex, with more tools now than ever to build a relationship with its target audience. The consumer giving their dollar to corporations they align with and are compelled by. It’s also of the utmost importance that these businesses use this power for good and put effort into their campaigns and stray away from the backwash of “Buy the new trendy viral something now.”

Written by seniors Micah Monahan and Kai Bugg. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.