--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Advertising is in essence simply a means…" description: "\"Advertising is in essence simply a means of communication through mass media which is available to anyone who can pay for it. It is, in this sense, rat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg" --- # Advertising is in essence simply a means of communication… ![“Advertising is in essence simply a means of communication through mass media which is available to anyone who can pay for it. It is, in this sense, rather like electricity, which can be used to work a refrigerator or a dentist's drill.” quote by John Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg) > “Advertising is in essence simply a means of communication through mass media which is available to anyone who can pay for it. It is, in this sense, rather like electricity, which can be used to work a refrigerator or a dentist's drill.” John Treasure ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advertising is a universal communication tool, akin to electricity, accessible to anyone who can afford it. **In simple terms:** Ads are like electricity—widely usable for pay. Key Takeaway Leverage mass media wisely for communication. Themes Advertising Communication Mass media Economics Technology Mood informative pragmatic critical Type Advertising:1 Available:1 Business:1 Communication:1 Dentist:0 Drills:0 Electricity:1 Essence:0 Marketing:1 Mass:1 Mass media:1 Mean:0 Means of communication:1 Media:1 Pay:1 Refrigerators:0 Used:0 Means Communication:0 Like Electricity:0 Advertising Essence:0 Communication Mass:0 When to use this quote - Television ads - Online banner ads - Public service announcements Key Concepts Media theory Consumer behavior Economic access Questions to Reflect On - How does payment affect message spread? - Can non‑paying voices be heard? A Different Perspective Cost can limit reach for smaller entities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Electricity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electricity/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Mass media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-media/) [Means of communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-of-communication/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) ## Related quotes > [Power in America today is control of the means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/power-in-america-today-is-control-of-the-means-of-communication/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [“The more we have the means of communication, the more reasons to stay silent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/the-more-we-have-the-means-of-communication-the-more-reasons-to-stay/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [English plus Microsoft equals a new cultural revolution a global means of communication that is irrepressibly contagious, adaptable, populist and subversive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mccrum/english-plus-microsoft-equals-a-new-cultural-revolution-a-global/) Robert McCrum > [Travelling, gentlemen, is medieval, today we have means of communication, not to speak of tomorrow and the day after, means of communication that bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/travelling-gentlemen-is-medieval-today-we-have-means-of-communication/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [The advantage of modern means of communication is they enable you to worry about things in all of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-advantage-of-modern-means-of-communication-is-they-enable-you-to/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Language is a poor enough means of communication as it is. So we should use all the words we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitl-n-r-kiernan/language-is-a-poor-enough-means-of-communication-as-it-is-so-we/) [Caitlín R. Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitl-n-r-kiernan/) > [Football is one of the world's best means of communication. It is impartial, apolitical and universal. Football unites people around the world every day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-beckenbauer/football-is-one-of-the-world-s-best-means-of-communication-it-is/) [Franz Beckenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-beckenbauer/) > [Well, it's one of the things that will. Words are good, and words help us become the leading species on earth to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/well-it-s-one-of-the-things-that-will-words-are-good-and-words-help/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [What does music mean to me? I don't think I would really be much without it, without it coming through me. It's my means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/what-does-music-mean-to-me-i-don-t-think-i-would-really-be-much/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [In Africa, music is not an art form as much as it is a means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-reid/in-africa-music-is-not-an-art-form-as-much-as-it-is-a-means-of/) [Vernon Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-reid/) > [Who would have thought that a means of communication limited to 140 characters would ever create misunderstanding?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-would-have-thought-that-a-means-of-communication-limited-to-140/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Words that are carefully framed and spoken are the most powerful means of communication there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-duarte/words-that-are-carefully-framed-and-spoken-are-the-most-powerful/) [Nancy Duarte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-duarte/) > [There should be no means of communication which we cannot read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/there-should-be-no-means-of-communication-which-we-cannot-read/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [The more wonderful the means of communication, the more trivial, tawdry, or depressing its contents seemed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-more-wonderful-the-means-of-communication-the-more-trivial-tawdry/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [When language is used without true significance, it loses its purpose as a means of communication and becomes an end in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-jaspers/when-language-is-used-without-true-significance-it-loses-its-purpose/) [Karl Jaspers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-jaspers/) ## More by John Treasure > [Advertising and the free society are closely connected. Advertising helps to make a free society remain so by increasing competition, and by helping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-treasure/advertising-and-the-free-society-are-closely-connected-advertising/) John Treasure Explore all 2 John Treasure quotes ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [This hype word bothers me though It always sounds like an accusation, what does it mean, advertising, column inches in the press? Bands themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/this-hype-word-bothers-me-though-it-always-sounds-like-an-accusation/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [I'm supposed to be taking time off. But I'm still writing and I have this Gap advert lined up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-m-supposed-to-be-taking-time-off-but-i-m-still-writing-and-i-have/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) [Browse all 1,942 Advertising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Advertising is in essence simply a means of communication through mass media which is available to anyone who can pay for it. It is, in this sense, rather like electricity, which can be used to work a refrigerator or a dentist's drill.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Treasure" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-treasure/advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means-of-communication-through/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertising" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-treasure/advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means-of-communication-through/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/john-treasure-101973_advertising_advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means_2418650.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Advertising is in essence simply a means of communication through mass media which is available to anyone…” — John Treasure", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Treasure", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-treasure/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Advertising is in essence simply a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-treasure/advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means-of-communication-through/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-treasure/advertising-is-in-essence-simply-a-means-of-communication-through/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```