In essence, the statement suggests that many companies allocate more resources towards advertising than would be beneficial or necessary for their long-term success. This implies that excessive spending on advertisements may not always lead to proportional returns or growth within a business.
On a deeper level, this quote challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding marketing and consumer behavior. Michael Schudson argues that while advertising is crucial for brand awareness and sales, an overreliance on it can be detrimental. It might divert funds from more sustainable investments such as product development, customer service improvements, or technological advancements. Additionally, excessive advertising could lead to a saturated market, where consumers become desensitized to the constant barrage of marketing messages, diminishing their effectiveness.
Michael Schudson is an American historian and sociologist known for his extensive work on media studies and the history of advertising. His insights into how society constructs meaning through various forms of communication have been influential in academic circles as well as among practitioners in the field of marketing and communications.
