Marketing

Reinforcing ideology

Marketing serves as a powerful tool for perpetuating capitalist values, framing nearly every aspect of life through the lens of the market and turning human needs, identities and relationships into goods to be exchanged. In this process, marketing doesn’t just respond to demand but actively constructs it, reinforcing a worldview where worth and meaning are tied to consumption. This market-driven perspective contributes to what philosopher Bernard Stiegler describes as “symbolic misery,” a condition in which authentic cultural expression and shared meaning are eroded by the relentless drive for profit and commodification.

Marketing extends far beyond goods and services; it permeates the “market for talent,” where individuals are increasingly treated as commodities, valued for their exchange potential in economic terms. This commodification of people reinforces the capitalist notion that all aspects of life can be assessed through market metrics, further embedding the idea that personal worth is measured by visibility, influence and “personal brand value.” Social media amplifies this effect by transforming even the most personal and personal dimensions of life into marketable content, as individuals present curated versions of themselves to meet the expectations of a digital audience. Here, deep layers of social and intimate life become commercial assets in vast advertising databases, as platforms mine personal moments and identities for their exchange value, monetizing the very fabric of personal and social existence.

Marketing as a cultural force

From a social perspective, marketing extends far beyond promoting products, services, or companies. It actively shapes and defines social meanings and identities, embedding itself deeply into cultural values, power dynamics and global structures. Marketing and branding go beyond emphasizing functional attributes or consumer needs—they construct and communicate cultural and symbolic values that resonate with people’s aspirations, desires and self-concepts. Operating within specific cultural and historical contexts, marketing molds how products and companies are perceived and valued, often reinforcing socially constructed ideas about luxury, status and identity. Through discourses, practices and institutions, marketing and branding become cultural producers, shaping and sustaining social hierarchies, norms and identities that influence everything from self-concept to gender roles and class distinctions.

Power dynamics in marketing narratives

Marketing emphasizes the power and ideological forces at play, as marketers and brand managers operate within social and economic systems that directly shape their practices. Marketing messages are rarely spontaneous; they are rooted in dominant discourses and shaped by existing social norms and economic pressures. Consequently, marketing often amplifies and normalizes established cultural narratives, from consumerism and social class distinctions to traditional gender roles, thereby sustaining power structures and minimizing space for alternative discourses. Although marketing can challenge these norms, its focus on profitability typically results in compliance with, rather than critique of, prevailing ideologies.

Advertising and the shaping of gender roles

Advertising—a key component of marketing—further reveals how gender and identity are both regulated and constrained. Advertising has long been criticized for perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes, frequently framing women as passive objects of desire and associating their value primarily with appearance. Many ads use sexualized portrayals of women to sell unrelated products, reinforcing the notion that women’s value is tied to physical attractiveness and subtly promoting the idea that they exist for male pleasure. Similarly, advertising restricts the portrayal of men, emphasizing strength, independence and control, while discouraging vulnerability or emotional expression. These portrayals limit individuals’ self-expression, confining them to roles that align with traditional gender norms. Advertising also contributes to unrealistic beauty standards, fueling body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and disordered eating, especially among women who are often targeted by ads promoting unattainable ideals.

Digital marketing and surveillance capitalism

Digital marketing’s reach goes beyond influencing individual consumer choices, extending into public and digital spaces where privacy and personal data are routinely compromised. Through targeted algorithms, digital marketing creates highly personalized ads, capitalizing on detailed psychological insights to shape behavior, stir artificial desires and foster feelings of inadequacy. This manipulation has psychological consequences, affecting mental health, promoting materialistic values and reducing individual autonomy. The surveillance-driven nature of modern marketing enhances consumer vulnerability, diminishing transparency, shaping choices and narrowing freedom—all while often leaving consumers unaware of how data is gathered, used, or sold.

Erosion of privacy and commodification of data

Digital marketing has transformed user data into a commodity, with nearly every online action tracked, analyzed and monetized. Companies collect personal data—sometimes without explicit consent—to create highly targeted ads, eroding user privacy and subtly influencing behavior. Platforms like Facebook and Google profit from this data, while consumers pay with their privacy, often unaware of how their information is used to shape spending habits and reinforce online behaviors.

Impact on youth and childhood

Digital marketing’s impact on youth is particularly concerning, as it exploits developing brains to drive engagement and consumption. Social media and online games use marketing techniques that create endless feedback loops of rewards and validations, making it difficult for young users to disconnect. This constant engagement erodes focus, fosters instant gratification and can harm mental health by promoting unrealistic comparisons, self-esteem issues and a consumerist mindset from an early age. Many critics argue that digital marketing has effectively stolen the innocence and creativity of childhood, replacing it with a shallow quest for validation driven by ads and product placements.

Polarization and the rise of right-wing politics

Digital marketing also plays a key role in amplifying polarized content, as algorithms prioritize engagement over content quality. Polarizing messages, often promoted through targeted ads, generate reactions and increase platform engagement, making them more prominent in users’ feeds. This creates echo chambers where users are exposed primarily to content aligning with their beliefs, deepening societal divides. Right-wing political entities have leveraged this, using targeted marketing to exploit demographic fears, grievances and biases, intensifying right-wing populism, misinformation and political polarization.

The rise of fast fashion and hyper-consumerism

Digital marketing has driven fast fashion’s growth by promoting endless streams of low-cost, trendy clothing that fuel overconsumption. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok serve as channels for fast fashion brands, normalizing rapid trends and encouraging short-lived purchases. This cycle drives unsustainable production and disposal practices, contributing to environmental harm and exploitative labor conditions. By glamorizing fast fashion, digital marketing fosters a “throwaway culture” that undermines sustainable and ethical consumption.

Limbic capitalism and the commercialization of attention

“Limbic capitalism” critiques digital marketing’s exploitation of human psychology, targeting the brain’s limbic system—the center for emotions and impulses—to keep users in an addictive cycle of engagement. By triggering emotions, fears, and desires, digital marketing creates a loop of notifications, personalized ads, and endless scrolling. This cycle fuels what Guy Debord described as the “society of the spectacle,” where devices and platforms monetize attention, fostering a consumer culture built on distraction and addiction rather than meaningful engagement. Prioritizing profit over well-being, this model reduces users to reactive consumers, reinforcing compulsive behaviors for profit.

Degradation of the internet’s original purpose

The internet was initially envisioned as a space for knowledge-sharing, open communication and creativity. Digital marketing has since reshaped this vision, with algorithms that prioritize profit-driven engagement over meaningful content. Most digital spaces now serve advertisers rather than users, favoring clickbait, sponsored content and deceptive ads over accurate information and thoughtful discussion. The internet has become a marketplace where engagement metrics trump quality of information or human connection.

The dominance of platform monopolies

Digital marketing has contributed to the rise of tech monopolies like Google, Facebook and Amazon, whose algorithms and ad systems dominate online information and commerce. These platforms control what users see, shaping public opinion and consumer behavior. Their control creates a closed-loop system where they collect data, sell ads and adjust algorithms to maximize ad revenue, often disadvantaging smaller businesses and content creators. This monopolistic structure reinforces inequality as smaller entities struggle to compete in a landscape dominated by a few powerful players.

Greenwashing and ethical implications

Greenwashing, a common marketing tactic, provides a particularly clear example of how marketing shapes beliefs and actions while manipulating ethical concerns. Greenwashing refers to misleading consumers by exaggerating a product’s environmental benefits to appeal to eco-conscious buyers. Often, greenwashing highlights minor eco-friendly features while obscuring the significant environmental costs associated with a product’s lifecycle, masking the exploitation and depletion embedded in its production. This practice fosters a false sense of assurance, leading consumers to believe they are making environmentally responsible choices while sustaining unsustainable practices.

Consumer agency and the designer’s role

Despite marketing’s strong influence, consumers are not passive recipients; there is room for agency and resistance. Consumers can challenge marketing messages, reinterpreting or rejecting narratives to align with their values. As designers and creators in this field, there is an ethical responsibility to question assumptions, address structures that promote consumerism and redefine the association between happiness and material acquisition.

Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.

Banksy

Designers can advocate for ethical consumption by supporting sustainable products, fair trade practices and local industries, shifting emphasis away from mindless consumerism. Additionally, designers can craft alternative narratives that celebrate diversity, promote social justice and encourage a stronger sense of community. This commitment involves creating campaigns that foster critical thinking, helping consumers recognize deceptive practices like greenwashing and make choices that reflect their true values.

The ethical responsibility of marketing in a digital world

As digital marketing becomes pervasive, there is an urgent need to reflect ethically on its role and impact. Critics argue that marketing prioritizes profit over humanity, exploiting personal insecurities and societal divisions for financial gain. Although marketing could drive awareness, encourage responsible consumption and build community, its digital form often fosters dependency, polarization and environmental harm. Given these critiques, there is a call for marketing professionals and platforms to reconsider their impact, implementing ethical standards that protect privacy, promote truthful representation and encourage sustainable practices over short-term profits.