--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The advertising industry's prime task is…" description: "\"“The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational choices, thus undermining market theories that are based ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg" --- # The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that… ![“The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational choices, thus undermining market theories that are based on just the opposite.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg) > ““The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational choices, thus undermining market theories that are based on just the opposite.”” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The advertising industry manipulates uninformed consumers to make irrational choices, contradicting market theory assumptions of rational behavior. **In simple terms:** Ads manipulate uninformed consumers, defying rational market theory. Key Takeaway Question the motives behind advertising. Themes media manipulation economics Mood critical skeptical Type analytical educational When to use this quote - consumer decision making - media literacy - policy regulation - business strategy Key Concepts consumer psychology market theory advertising ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can consumers become more informed? - What regulations could curb manipulative ads? A Different Perspective Assumes all consumers are uninformed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Advertising industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising-industry/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Political science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-science/) ## Related quotes > [“In fact quite generally, commercial advertising is fundamentally an effort to undermine markets. We should recognize that. If you’ve taken an economics course, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-fact-quite-generally-commercial-advertising-is-fundamentally-an/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In the United States, one of the main topics of academic political science is the study of attitudes and policy and their correlation. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-united-states-one-of-the-main-topics-of-academic-political/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“...the qualifications that I have to speak on world affairs are exactly the same ones Henry Kissinger has, and Walt Rostow has, or anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-qualifications-that-i-have-to-speak-on-world-affairs-are-exactly/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Compare mathematics and the political sciences - it's quite striking. In mathematics, in physics, people are concerned with what you say, not with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/compare-mathematics-and-the-political-sciences-it-s-quite-striking-in/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you take an economics or a political science course, you're taught that humans are supposed to be rational wealth accumulators, each acting as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-take-an-economics-or-a-political-science-course-you-re-taught/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The Sanders campaign, however, broke dramatically with over a century of U.S. political history. Extensive political science research, notably the work of Thomas Ferguson,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-sanders-campaign-however-broke-dramatically-with-over-a-century/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Going back to why people don't vote, I presume the main reason is because they understand without reading political science texts that it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/going-back-to-why-people-don-t-vote-i-presume-the-main-reason-is/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Consumer sales depend on the habits and behaviors of consumers, and those who manipulate consumer markets cannot but address behavior and attitude. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-barber/consumer-sales-depend-on-the-habits-and-behaviors-of-consumers-and/) [Benjamin Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-barber/) > [One of my jobs was at a start-up ad agency. They were trying to do things differently, work with socially conscious clients, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/one-of-my-jobs-was-at-a-start-up-ad-agency-they-were-trying-to-do/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [I think of Google as a set of overlapping things. It's a consumer platform, consumer phenomenon of which search is its fundamental activity, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-think-of-google-as-a-set-of-overlapping-things-it-s-a-consumer/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [What is the problem with the advertising industry is they're still, for me, what I call in Africa is the colonial mind of white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berhan-ahmed/what-is-the-problem-with-the-advertising-industry-is-they-re-still/) [Berhan Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berhan-ahmed/) > [Commercial interests with their advertising industry do not want people to develop contentment and less greed. Military interests in economic, political, ethnic or nationalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-thurman/commercial-interests-with-their-advertising-industry-do-not-want/) [Robert Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-thurman/) > [I think the central metaphor of the movie is this notion of what the advertising industry does. In order to make someone want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/i-think-the-central-metaphor-of-the-movie-is-this-notion-of-what-the/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [The irony is, the advertising industry knows everyone hates what they produce. This is why they keep looking for new ways to force people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-irony-is-the-advertising-industry-knows-everyone-hates-what-they/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [The world keeps moving, the world keeps turning, and people get older, and young people become older and more important and cooler and interesting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/the-world-keeps-moving-the-world-keeps-turning-and-people-get-older/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## 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": "“The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational choices, thus undermining market theories that are based on just the opposite.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is-to-ensure-that-uninformed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertising" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is-to-ensure-that-uninformed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/noam-chomsky-42_advertising_the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is_3080954.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The advertising industry's prime task is to ensure that uninformed consumers make irrational choices, thus…” — Noam Chomsky", "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": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The advertising industry's prime task is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is-to-ensure-that-uninformed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-advertising-industry-s-prime-task-is-to-ensure-that-uninformed/#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 } } ] } ```