Advertising is a ubiquitous and powerful force, seducing us into buying wanted and sometimes unwanted products and services, donating to charity (even to causes we have not heard of before), voting for political candidates (even of questionable reputation), and changing our health-related lifestyles for better or worse. The impact of advertising is often subtle and implicit, but sometimes blatant and impossible to overlook.

This book discusses key topics from the fields of social and consumer psychology. Important questions are addressed in the volume such as:

What impact does advertising have on consumer behaviour? What causes this impact?
What are the psychological processes responsible for the effectiveness of advertising?
How do consumers make sense of advertising messages?
What messages "get across" and when and why?

This is the first book to offer a comprehensive and state-of-the-art overview of the psychological findings on the impact of advertising, and to discuss this research in the context of recent developments in the fields of social and consumer psychology. It presents and discusses results of both classic and contemporary studies in an engaging style that avoids highly technical language.

The authors have included a glossary of frequently used concepts which assist student comprehension, making it a unique and invaluable volume for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers and lecturers in social psychology, marketing, and communications. It is also a useful resource for professionals working in advertising, public health, public services and political communication.