In light on the internet and numerous other advances in technology, the way society is fed information is much different than just fifteen years ago. Advertisement is likely to make a big change as things change even more. Today, advertising in newspapers is going to reach less people than ever before, and is also going to be targeted mainly to an older bunch of consumers. Younger people, myself included get their news online as it has become easier and more efficient to do so. Then, of course is television. While more people today are watching TV, less people are actually watching the commercials in between shows. Why? Because of things like TiVo, one can simply fast forward through these annoyances, and get back to the main point of even turning the television on. It saves time, something that people seem to have less and less of these days. As we become more environmentally aware, it is likely that sending out mass flyers is going to become something of the past. It is already being advised that people remove themselves from as many mailing lists as possible so as to reduce the consumption of paper produts. With all of these changes, advertising is likely to follow suit as well.
Let's get something straight. I am not a huge advocate of major corporations accosting me at every given opportunity, but at the same time, let's me honest, they didn't get to be huge without some major advertising. As the world shifts to doing more and more online, advertising is going to follow where it's consumers lead. There is already ads online, but, in all honesty, not nearly as many as I would have thought by now. I can generally have a pleasant time online without being bombarded by ads. If I want to buy something, I go to that companie's website and purchase it. Even my email inbox is almost free of spam, and when I do get it, it is redirected to my spam folder. One new tactic of advertising I have seen recently is commercials in movie theatres. It is a smart plan actually. Once someone is settled down with their popcorn, they are not apt to wander away, or decide to go see another film. I personally find this extremely irritating, but as I said, companies have to get their product out there. I just wonder what the future holds for companies trying to get their products and services to be embraced by consumers. It's going to affect us someday. Numerous college students today, are going to be working for companies that rely on advertising in the future, and no matter what position someone holds for that company, if the corporation goes bankrupt due to lack of sales, a lot of people are going to have a problem.
I didn't write this because I am harboring some great fear that American corporations are running out of ways to irritate us in our private iives. The fact is, they will find a way, it is inevitable, unfortunately. I just wonder in what ways they will choose to do this, and how it will affect our lives, if at all.
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Witht the united states already in such great debt from current and previos events, I think that this issueid far greater than anyone realizes. With these new television innovation that include the ability to fast forward through commercial advertisements I believe that the manufacturing industry will take a large hit if the population that is accuring these services increases. Since 1941 when the Boulva watch company was the first aired television advertisement, the state of the economy was able to improve because of the growing acessability of televisions in the American Home over the past sixty year. Though commercials on TV are greatly annoying, they are a large factor to economic stability in the United States.
"One new tactic of advertising I have seen recently is commercials in movie theatres."
That's not a new advertising tactic, they've been doing that around the world for years. It is actually a complete fuckin outrage that they get away with it too, or more to the point that customers allow cinemas to get away with selling ad space in the first place.
You see, when you pay the cash to watch a movie in the cinema, you are essentially paying for the right to watch a movie unhindered by advertising, that's why cinema is the most expensive means of watching a movie. It is bad enough that the viewer has to put up with rampant advertising within the movie itself in the form of product placement, but then to heap insult upon injury we have to put up with the cinemas making extra money off us by selling minutes that we've paid to watch to advertisers.
So essentially we are paying the cinema for the priviledge of watching the advertisments they show and advertisers are paying the cinema to show us the ad. It's bullshit. It's not as if the cinemas are using the advertising to subsidise our tickets, making them cheaper. They are just treating us, the paying customer, like assholes and making money off the back of it. Customers pay a premium rate to watch a newly released movie on a big screen, if cinemas want to coin it on advertising, then they should pass that cash onto the consumer by way of cheaper tickets. If they don't want to do that, boycott them and eventually a cinema group will see the opportunity of stealing all those disgruntled consumers by offering them what they deserve, a bit of respect.
If you want to examine a new advertising tactic, well, one that was field tested a couple of years ago, her's a beauty for you: In Holland a few years back an advertising agency came up with the idea to sell ad space on homeless people. The idea being that homeless people would be provided with warm Winter jackets as the icey cold decended on Dutch cities and the backs of those jackets would be sold to advertisers. that's a new 'out side the box' advertising strategy for ya.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
Advertising on homeless is one of the most discusing things I have ever heard of. That's so unhuman, but I guess some people are willing to do anyhing for money.
You make some really good points about the disrespect of the movie ticket purchaser though. I had never looked at it that way, but what you say is true.
The thing that drives me nuts is when the companys have thier commercials run back to back. It just seems like such a waste of time. They spend millions of dollars for 30 second ads.
Why not spend the money on something that is going to affect the world and nt just their profit margins?? Like research on the impact that their product has on the world.