Psychological Manipulation in Advertising as a Factor of Consciousness Change in Consumer Society

Introduction. Advertising is a factor of psychological alienation from personal thinking, from true needs. It forms a pseudoinformation space, with the help of which new needs of the target audience are constructed. The article raises the problem of separation of natural and unnatural needs. The purpose is to reveal the primary methods of manipulative influence of advertising and the problems related to the state of consciousness under psychological manipulation rendered by advertising. Materials, Results and Discussion. Under consideration are the following methods of manipulative influence of advertising: appeal to a higher value, the principle of absurdity, provocative challenge, speculation on media characters, exploitation of world culture, "promising cunning". The essence of permanent consumption is revealed. Conclusions. The methods of advertising influence are characterized by a high suggestive potential, capable of influencing a person's thinking and the system of his needs. Advertising quite rationally adopts irrational discourse for the sake of manipulative influence on the target group. Thus, rationality and absurdity become elements consolidated into a strong relationship.