It’s almost a decade after the Berlin Wall has fallen, and Russia is coming to grips with the introduction American “culture” in their country. As President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev was responsible for the dissolution of the USSR. The resulting economic transition was confusing for many, as the advertisement shows disagreement among family members about the state of Russia in the years following the end of Soviet rule.
Old Spice — Smellcome to Magic
Individuals often make decisions that are in their own best interest, and often disregard the impact they may have on other people. Whenever this happens, individuals are creating an externality. Someone else either benefits or is harmed by that outcome. In the case of someone putting on deodorant, that could have spillover benefits from people getting to smell a “fresh scent.” If too much is applied, it could annoy others are turn to a negative externality.
Volkswagen — Buying a Used Car
Asymmetric information is a condition in which one party to a transaction has information that isn’t known to the other side of the party. This can disrupt the market for used goods because the buyer may not know the full extent of what they’re purchasing. In this Volkswagen ad, the father and son duo are unaware of the older lady’s past experiences with the cars. This is a great segue to Akerlof’s Market for Lemons, which is based on the the used car market.
Turkish Airways — Flying Everywhere
This Turkish Airways ad shows the value of network externalities to a market. A network effect occurs when the value of a product or service depends on the number of users. Network effects are typically positive, such that the more people using the product, the more valuable the product becomes. Airlines are an example of network effects, as the ad points out, because the more places they fly, the more valuable the flights are to the people purchasing the tickets.