Evil advertisements

Economics explains what is likely true: advertising helps to sell goods. That is why many companies enthusiastically advertise their goods/products, even though it can be very costly.

On the other hand, for the public and consumers, apart from the fact that the goods become more expensive, there are many disadvantages to advertisements.

Many advertisements are disgusting, such as firms that sell panties and sanitary napkins etc. As are the adverts for the company that produces aphrodisiacs like Kuku Bima, where the actress has the guts to act shamelessly while uttering such nasty words and insinuations.

Advertisements can deceive the consumer. Once, my nephew gained abnormally excessive body weight after a few days of consuming a certain brand of jamu (traditional herbal medicine). It is very possible that the jamu contained anabolic steroids and/or corticosteroids. Fortunately it was reversible and, after he was advised to stop using the product, his body weight returned to normal.

Once, when watching a program on the Indosiar private television channel, I happened to see an evil advertisement. It was promoting a brand of peanuts by Garuda Food. A girl was pictured gaily eating nuts by throwing the nut up in the air and then catching the nut in her mouth. Eating nuts in such a way is very dangerous, especially when done by children, as the nut can get stuck in the respiratory tract, something which can cause serious breathing difficulties. It can kill.

My suggestions are:

* private TV stations should broadcast only properly selected advertisements.

* The Islamic Council of Ulemas (MUI) should intervene and renounce indecent advertisements.

* The Indonesian Consumers Institution should take legal action against improper and evil advertisements.

* The public should be careful when judging advertisements because "there are tricks in every trade".

DR. H.M. HADI S.

Cimahi, West Java