During my school years, I remember reading a book entitled "The Hidden Persuaders" by Vance Packard. It was about the efforts of advertisers to get the consumer to buy the product they were "pushing" and to make us believe we just could not live a full productive life without that product. The situation has not changed very much since that book was written in 1957. Manufacturers still want us to buy their product, advertising has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry and the barrage of things wanting our money and our loyalty is staggering. Everywhere we look we are overwhelmed by "things" which want us to claim them as our own.
Advertising is so pervasive that we cannot go anywhere without it assaulting us and demanding that we pay attention to it. If it is not blatantly "in our face" it is a brief subliminal message which flashes an image, word or idea into our subconscious. We can't escape the assault whether we are on the street, at the movies, watching tv, surfing the Internet, shopping for food or just plain trying to do nothing. Everything and everyone is trying to win us over to their product, point of view or supporting them or their cause.
Within my sight at this moment, as I write this blog, are probably hundreds of "brand names" which are trying to win my heart and mind to them. If they are in our motor home, they have already achieved the goal of getting my money. If they are outside the window, they have gotten someone else's money and are trying to get mine next. If I think too much about it, it makes me wonder how we are able to overcome the professionals who are so intent on selling us their wares. Now that the elections are over and the "Holiday Season" is over, we can wait for the next great attack, the Super Bowl ads. I could go on and on, but I think I'll let the blog just wind down and let us all pause a little to think about what we allow to influence us ........... to occupy our attention............ and where we spend our resources and our time.......................
Sent from my iPad
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