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What are your thoughts on Advertisment?

Sex in marketing and advertisement turns me off of the product. If they have to resort to that to sell a product, then the product isn't worth buying.

What if the product is porn, or lube? :)

Otherwise I agree with you. As far as advertising in general, I think it's a necessary evil. Because I know it's necessary, I don't mind it--unless it's horribly obnoxious, insulting, or stupid. Which is of course a lot of what's out there... I try not to look.
 
advertisement in and of itself is not bad at all. people want to know what's out there. what's wrong is the public relations of advertising. 'don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle'

modern advertisements are rarely anything but complete lack of information or intentional disinformation. they push the false lifestyle that comes from buying a product instead of the product. the clearest example is usually food. if they said what they should in an advertisement for hot pockets, no one would buy them. because it's garbage. like most things sold as food.

cars, too. furniture, pharmaceuticals, there are plenty of terrible marketing systems designed specifically to misinform and play on insecurities and other problems.

that's my incomplete, early morning view.
 
I think it's very effective. People are sheep and want to be led. They want someone to tell them what's hip, what's acceptable, and what everyone else is "doing" so they can feel like they belong. Thinking for themselves takes way too much effort.

In the USA at least, many also equate pleasure/happiness/success with buying as much crap as possible whether needed or not. Advertising pairs perfectly with this mindset.
 
Advertising has, by necessity, moved much more towards word-of-mouth and peer hype. Cell phones are a perfect example. How many people are now convinced that they simply couldn't get by without their cell phones (in this month's HOT new design)? I find most of the ads in North America to be on the unimaginative side. European ads seem to be a little more out there, especially when it comes to humour. A good ad can definitely put a smile on my face:



Got to say, though, I HATED the day that ads for anything but the concession stand and upcoming films became standard in movie theatres.
 
...
modern advertisements are rarely anything but complete lack of information or intentional disinformation. they push the false lifestyle that comes from buying a product instead of the product. the clearest example is usually food. if they said what they should in an advertisement for hot pockets, no one would buy them. because it's garbage. like most things sold as food. ...

Not a 'modern' ad, perhaps, but a good example of what you're saying:

early_cola.jpg
 
Cars are popular. Almost everyone can drive a car, even bad drivers who leave you raging. You don't have to be that "worthy" to be on the same road as excellent drivers.

It's the same for ads.
 
Not a 'modern' ad, perhaps, but a good example of what you're saying:

early_cola.jpg

perfect example. i cant find it right now but i was going to post the ad for coke where the earth is being cradled like a baby by a looming cokacola label behind it, feeding the pacified earth from a coke bottle.

by modern i mean after the 20s. the 20s were the start of the real public relations industry. mostly out of necessity. and i won't discuss why it was a necessity. but it's easy to find that information out. it's no secret or anything.

and it gets more extreme as time goes on. the 50s had a marketing 'revolution' based on scientific and social information gathered in horrifying, depraved, inhuman, and largely criminal ways. also no secret.

i don't watch tv, either. it's nothing but a string of complete garbage with a few rare gems crammed into the framework that never last. tv is for suckers.:)