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jackI had an epiphany: I don't actually hate advertising. If I see an advert for something that (a) doesn't unnecessarily pop up over the thing I'm trying to read or make itself so intrusive by its content (b) isn't so blatantly sexist or insulting I can't appreciate it (c) is for something I might ever actually want (d) isn't annoying when it's repeated 50000 times (e) gives any information about the product whatsoever, then I'm quite pleased.
If all adverts were text-based adverts for books that told you something about why they were interesting, I'd ADORE advertising. I'd visit media with adverts in just to admire the adverts.
But I see ANY advert that fulfils those criteria about once every two years, and get all excited. Most adverts fail ALL of them. Which is why I hate advertising.
(Edit: title)
If all adverts were text-based adverts for books that told you something about why they were interesting, I'd ADORE advertising. I'd visit media with adverts in just to admire the adverts.
But I see ANY advert that fulfils those criteria about once every two years, and get all excited. Most adverts fail ALL of them. Which is why I hate advertising.
(Edit: title)
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Date: 2010-11-16 06:48 pm (UTC)When I'm standing in the store and they have 50 brands of antiperspirant, each with 5-12 different scents or options, I could honestly go for some advertising that explained the differences. Or even if someone could translate what the marketing words mean, so I wouldn't think "Fresh" scent is going to be like fabric softener smell when really they mean, "Just like a new box of disposable diapers!" (I think women would actually rebel if there was less spin/buzz and companies admitted that the scent choice is between baby powder and plastic diapers.)
Books... many books now do not even have a summary on the back or flyleaf, it's just excerpted quotes from other people who got a copy free. I finally just stopped buying those entirely.
As intrusive and creepy as it is, targetted advertising would be so much less irritating. "I'm not buying a car. I have no children. But I love kitchen gadgets, arts and crafts, and fancy bath stuff." So I'd get paper towel commercials, ads for the new art store that opened (that was open for 7 months before I heard about it). I'd hear about housewares sales while they were going on instead of 2 weeks later when a friend is crowing about her purchases. If they advertised nearby restaurants, that would actually be awesome, especially if it had useful information like "open for lunch, happy to serve single diners, plenty of parking".
It's not the advertising I resent, it's how they waste my time and fill my head with useless flashy junk but I still can't explain the difference between brands of stuff I use every day.