People often chose to see advertising thorugh other's eyes.
The third-person effect is a well-known theory in mass media and communication, where a person understands advertising only by its effects on others. If a person sees a very effective advertisement, according to this view, they are more likely to concern themselves, at least consciously, with the effect it will have on someone else. In this way people distance themselves from the effects of advertising, particularly controversial product advertising.
Controversy
Many marketers relish the opportunity to make a controversial ad. Controversy, in this view, is a way to increase awareness of a brand or product. What matters most, many think, is simply having your product discussed. Often when a person sees an offensive ad they might rationalize by stating the fact that it appeals to others. This would be, in theory, a way of hiding the fact that it appeals to you personally.
Conformity
Often an ad may actually fail to appeal to you personally, but because of its effect on others you will still be swayed into purchasing the product or service. This sort of third-person effect relies on the pressures people often feel to conform to social norms. Controversial product advertising often works not by appealing to a person privately, but by creating a social consensus where people feel that the product is popular.
Markets
The third-person effect is likely to vary from one person to another and from market to market. Certain markets of consumers may be more likely to feel the effectiveness of an ad through its effects on others. Groups such as these would be those that are already particularly socially conscious. For this reason, many theorists consider the third-person effect to be at its strongest in advertisements aimed at a youth audience and customer.
Regulation
Some belief among media theorists exist that a likelihood to see others as more vulnerable to advertising also increases the likelihood that you would support regulation on media. If you view others as more persuadable than yourself, it's likely you'll think they need some form of special protection. This would make people like this more amenable to laws that restrict the frequency of ads promoting products in certain controversial ways.
Tags: third-person effect, effects others, fact that, fact that appeals, more likely, others more, person sees