Look at Fig. 13 (Advertisements at a railway station in England, a lithograph by Alfred Concanen, 1874). What impact do such advertisements have on the public mind? Do you think everyone reacts to printed material in the same way?
Advertisements profoundly influence the public mind by creating new desires and needs. Plastering public spaces like railway stations with visually appealing images familiarises people with brands, shapes consumer culture, and associates products with modernity and desirable lifestyles. They implicitly promise enhanced status or quality of life. However, reactions to printed material are not uniform. An affluent, educated individual might perceive an advertisement as informative or a symbol of progress. Conversely, a factory worker might view the same luxury ad as a stark reminder of unattainable wealth, potentially sparking aspiration or resentment. People interpret messages through their unique social class, life experiences, and education, leading to diverse and subjective responses.