Advertising

[Carrie]

Admit it, you all love infommercials. :

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Carrie' date='Dec 15 2005, 09:40 AM']Admit it, you all love infommercials. :
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Set it and forget it!

[Carrie]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Dec 15 2005, 10:21 AM']Set it and forget it!
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[p0lar_bear]

[quote name='hugheyforlife' date='Dec 14 2005, 01:24 PM']should they be praised for the cleverness or looked down upon for their trickery?
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A bit of both...it depends on what is being done. Advertising is important; it tells the public what products are available. Very few businesses could survive on word of mouth alone. An intelligent consumer shouldn't buy based on advertising alone, but an ad can lead people to look into a product they might not have before.

I have worked with a small publisher. If we didn't advertise our books, no one would know they exist, no one would buy them, and we would go out of business (which would be bad...). Choosing artwork for covers, color schemes, and ad text all involved making the product as attractive as possible to encourage buyers, but I don't think that amounts to trickery.

There does need to be a code of ethics, but if an advertiser can design a clever, witty ad that makes people remember the product without breaking any ethical boundaries, then yes, they should be praised. If they are trying to trick people into buy a product they don't really want or that simply is not worth buying, then they can be condemned for their trickery.

[cmotherofpirl]

It also depends on what the advertising is for.
Is it for soap or to prclaim the virtues of Planned Parenthood? ?

Is it to sell a product , or refine words and therefore redefine culture?

[lifescanticle]

[quote name='hugheyforlife' date='Dec 13 2005, 10:31 PM']I have given this thought, though I might say not enough. I thought it would help me though if I could hear the input of others. The topic is advertising. The way I see it is this:

Advertising is a very psychologically twisted business. The main goal of the companies is to promote a product, good or bad, and they will do almost anything necessary to accomplish this. Studies have been done about the reactions of the human brain to certain stimulants. Knowing this, companies will construct their commercials and ads to create certain feelings about a product in order to hook the customer. Companies pour out millions if not billions of dollars every year to advertise their products. They would not be doing a very good job if they did not make their product enticing. The whole challenge I have to admit sounds wonderful. It would be exciting and I'm sure rewarding for the pocketbook. However, I do feel sometimes that so much advertising and the strategic placement of foods in our grocery stores is a bit unfair and uncalled for. I don't like being subcontiously manipulated by international corporations. I wouldn't like to be treated that way by a neighborhood company.

Anyway... I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks about this. Is there something wrong with the advertising business or is it simply a part of life? Is it a respectable thing or are they pushing their limits?
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The blessing in this is that God in his infinite wisdow gave man the gaols such as patience and prudence to help us when we are faced with situations as you described.

[franciscanheart]

Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need.

--Will Rogers--

[gonzaga]

the new honda ad is fantastic!

[Church Punk]

I think that the consumers need to be aware, does a product sound too good to be true, if so, it proably is. Do you give into various advertisments you see on TV or do you logically think things through before acting on it.

I know I have bought some stuff after seeing an ad because it was a good idea or I was looking for something like it.