While shopping for school supplies with my daughters some months ago, I made an impulse purchase of a ten pack of sharpies.
Their “write out loud” commercials made writing with them seem like such fun.
I’ve only used them twice since.
Many years ago, I bought one of those Michael Jackson leather jackets that Eddie Murphy later laughed at in Beverley Hills Cop.
I almost never wore it.
Fortunes are risked by companies who are trying to get your attention. With most attention spans being as brief as they are, advertisers rely on the “wow” factor. The problem is that “wow” is a tough sensation to sustain.
That’s why movies are rarely as entertaining as their trailers and marriages fail after steamy courtships.
Most of us believe that we are immune to the suggestions of advertisers.
We are not.
It’s not just radio, TV, and print advertising. It’s also packaging, logos, repetition, and sometimes even the annoyance factor.
You may hate the way that the volume increases when the commercial starts, but you remember the ad that caused you to change the channel.
The infomercials of Billy Mays, may he rest in peace, are a prime example. I was so annoyed by the shrillness and loudness of his voice that I promised myself that I would never buy any of his products.
I confess that I don’t understand the logic behind annoying the viewer, but it must be effective, on some level, or they would stop doing it.
Celebrity endorsements are another way in which advertisers try to score with viewers. I also don’t understand how those who hire Woods, Manning, and Kobe to shill for their products can expect to generate the additional number of sales required to break-even on these lucrative deals.
Their aim must be name recognition with the ultimate goal of forming a habit with their viewers.
People love their habits
Advertisers hope that the habits they perpetuate will continue long after their promotions featuring these athletes have expired.
What ad inspired purchase have you made, and later regretted? Do you believe that you are immune to advertising?
Ray } – 
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am not immune to advertising. Every time I see a commercial for any type of beverage my mouth waters. An ad with a tall glass of whatever all covered in tantalizing condensation and I want it. It has nothing to do with the beautiful people or the party scene. It’s all about the look of the drink or the visual image of someone drinking it. I love my Diet Coke but most other soft drinks leave me feeling like Jerry Seinfeld who said, “Maybe I’m putting too much ice in mine!” The taste does not inspire me to dance in the middle of a crowded city street. Nice post. Very thought provoking.
Hi Tristan, I share that mouth watering effect with you — for me the drink of choice is Pepsi. I drink way too much of the stuff, or so my daughter tells me. Imagine if we did dance in the middle of the street as they do in many of those commercials. It might make for a spirited lunch hour at the office.