Is the car the only place you are held captive by Advertising?
I was on my train commuting back from New York City and overheard two young businessmen who worked in radio advertising, discussing something I thought was interesting. I do not normally eavesdrop on people, but I could not help myself as they were a bit vocal. The comment one of the men made was; "I believe the car is the only place you can not escape advertising." I smiled internally being a marketer and I decided I should explore this comment.
Is the car the only place we are trapped by advertising? Let's look at the other mediums before I give my overall opinion. We have television, radio, print, and online. I believe that would be it! No, there are movies, video games, television shows, clothes and more.
My personal breakdown:
Television & Radio: I am a flipper when it comes to radio or television, if a commercial comes on I flip. I get tired of listening to the announcer rant about discount cars or the latest drug that I really don't need.
Print: There are so many areas in this particular category: Magazines, newspapers, postcards, bus banners, billboards and more. If I am in my car and stuck in traffic I do read the occasional billboard. If I am reading a magazine or a newspaper article I can’t help but notice an ad or two, especially if I am in my shopping mind. Postcards I glance at, and if they have something of interest I may save them.
Online: The web has taken the shape of some pretty traditional advertising by using banner ads like magazines do, and television style ads now as self-running pop-ups. The web is full of advertising large and in your face, and subtle like on social networking sites, search engine results or blogs.
Movies: In the actual theater of course they have the opening commercial before the previews and the local advertising slide show and trivia questions sponsored by items you can find at the concession stand. But the movie itself has advertising as well. Austin Powers pointed it out in a shameless manner. Action movies blow up advertising billboards and zoom in on products that the characters are using all the time.
Video Games: A captive repeat audience obsessed with reaching a goal, and yes in many video games there is tons of advertising. Racing games spotlight car makers and products on virtual roads. Music is many times an added advertising element, giving bands and record companies access to their core demographic in a video game.
Television Shows: Some reality TV shows are practically an advertisement wrapped around a talent like Top Chef and the Kenmore Elite line kitchen products, which they repeat at least 5 times in each episode. Oh and let's not forget the infomercial rolled into the latest tied into shows like CW's One Tree Hill and America's Next Top Model. But the ads don't stop there, they are the products used in the drama shows like Hero's and 24.
Clothes: That's right no matter which way I walk on the streets I see advertising from Sean John to Ralph Lauren. T-shirts are a walking billboard for companies to advertise on and now High School athlete's sports jerseys are the next big area facing the Advertising microscope. (See article in NY Times June 11th Business Section).
So back to where we started, do you think the car is the only place you are held captive by advertising? In my opinion it is not the biggest area at all. I find the non-traditional mediums have the biggest forced hold on us as consumers. I don't walk in late to see a movie for fear we won't get a seat so I am forced to watch the commercial at the beginning. I like to play an occasional video game, specifically racing games, and there are ads all over the cars, the stands, the streets and if I want to play the game I am held captive by the ads. If I want to watch a particular YouTube link I am forced to see the ads on the page.
My point of view is that you are not held captive by advertising in your car, but rather in your favorite video game, movie and reality TV show. I like watching what the chef's come up with or the designers create and I can't escape the sponsor's names every week and now some of them are ingrained in my brain with no escape.
What do you think? Do you agree with me? Let me know post your thoughts on our Blog by clicking comments.
Is the car the only place we are trapped by advertising? Let's look at the other mediums before I give my overall opinion. We have television, radio, print, and online. I believe that would be it! No, there are movies, video games, television shows, clothes and more.
My personal breakdown:
Television & Radio: I am a flipper when it comes to radio or television, if a commercial comes on I flip. I get tired of listening to the announcer rant about discount cars or the latest drug that I really don't need.
Print: There are so many areas in this particular category: Magazines, newspapers, postcards, bus banners, billboards and more. If I am in my car and stuck in traffic I do read the occasional billboard. If I am reading a magazine or a newspaper article I can’t help but notice an ad or two, especially if I am in my shopping mind. Postcards I glance at, and if they have something of interest I may save them.
Online: The web has taken the shape of some pretty traditional advertising by using banner ads like magazines do, and television style ads now as self-running pop-ups. The web is full of advertising large and in your face, and subtle like on social networking sites, search engine results or blogs.
Movies: In the actual theater of course they have the opening commercial before the previews and the local advertising slide show and trivia questions sponsored by items you can find at the concession stand. But the movie itself has advertising as well. Austin Powers pointed it out in a shameless manner. Action movies blow up advertising billboards and zoom in on products that the characters are using all the time.
Video Games: A captive repeat audience obsessed with reaching a goal, and yes in many video games there is tons of advertising. Racing games spotlight car makers and products on virtual roads. Music is many times an added advertising element, giving bands and record companies access to their core demographic in a video game.
Television Shows: Some reality TV shows are practically an advertisement wrapped around a talent like Top Chef and the Kenmore Elite line kitchen products, which they repeat at least 5 times in each episode. Oh and let's not forget the infomercial rolled into the latest tied into shows like CW's One Tree Hill and America's Next Top Model. But the ads don't stop there, they are the products used in the drama shows like Hero's and 24.
Clothes: That's right no matter which way I walk on the streets I see advertising from Sean John to Ralph Lauren. T-shirts are a walking billboard for companies to advertise on and now High School athlete's sports jerseys are the next big area facing the Advertising microscope. (See article in NY Times June 11th Business Section).
So back to where we started, do you think the car is the only place you are held captive by advertising? In my opinion it is not the biggest area at all. I find the non-traditional mediums have the biggest forced hold on us as consumers. I don't walk in late to see a movie for fear we won't get a seat so I am forced to watch the commercial at the beginning. I like to play an occasional video game, specifically racing games, and there are ads all over the cars, the stands, the streets and if I want to play the game I am held captive by the ads. If I want to watch a particular YouTube link I am forced to see the ads on the page.
My point of view is that you are not held captive by advertising in your car, but rather in your favorite video game, movie and reality TV show. I like watching what the chef's come up with or the designers create and I can't escape the sponsor's names every week and now some of them are ingrained in my brain with no escape.
What do you think? Do you agree with me? Let me know post your thoughts on our Blog by clicking comments.
Labels: marketing online, web marketing
1 Comments:
Great article! I agree and definately think that you are certainly not safe from seeing advertising in your car! I guess it's been integrated into our daily lives to such a degree that we don't notice the saturation. Perhaps, subliminal advertising will require further innovation in the future because it's all around us now. One place that I do find personal respite from Advertising (assuming my television is off) is my bedroom. But I have a feeling it might now be for long.
I think that even the most remote refuges won't be safe from Advertising either-that being the wilderness. With the growing sophistication of handheld technology i.e. gps, videphones and wireless .mobi websites, .tv, you'll always be connected to the global metropolis. While that could be overwhelming, I'm sure people will find a happy medium. I mean how cool would it be to catch the latest episode of top chef while taking a rest on the Alps? ~abby heredia
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