Advertisements are deeply embedded in our everyday lives, yet we are rarely concerned about the messages and information we learn from exposure to them. Ads confront us everywhere in our increasingly urban lives, from sidewalks to rooftops. This course addresses the social role of advertising in physical and virtual spaces throughout contemporary society. Special emphasis is given to the historical rise of advertisements, ideological content, economic forces and mechanisms of persuasion, and current social controversies over advertising effects on human behaviour and socialization.