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In all of our discussions about addiction, which is undeniably a devastating problem worldwide, what gets insufficient attention is the role that advertising plays in grooming us all to become addicts - whether to substances or behaviors - by imbuing us with a set of impulses, values and beliefs that I call "addictude." From infancy onward, ads teach us to crave. They teach us that there is no difference between "want" and "need." They trick us into believing that brand loyalty equals identity. They teach us that not getting what we want, and not getting it fast, is torture. They teach us that instant gratification is a basic human right. Ads teach us that restraint is a bad thing and that patience is ridiculous. Ads make us gullible, reckless, ruthless, dependent. Like addicts. Read More
The Taoism of Consumerism
It seems as though each advertisement one views can be translated directly into feeding into a desire associated with one of the Seven Deadly Sins:
Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride
I'm not so sure about wrath as a marketing tool but if an ad is feeding into your psyche that is somehow making you angry or impatient, then perhaps.
Keeping in mind that the money you have was likely earned through time spent at work, time which you will never get back, the question then becomes if the tradeoff for products that are feeding into the most negative aspects of your persona are worth it?
The good news is that there are antidotes for each of these "sins" and they are known as the Seven Holy Virtues and they are chastity (lust), temperance (gluttony), charity (greed), diligence (sloth), patience (wrath), kindness (envy), and humility (pride).
So an interesting exercise in mindfulness could then become while watching commercials or walking through a store, when that feeling of desire begins to make you want to open up your wallet, take some time to consider one or a few of the "sins" that may be drawing you toward the product and then think of the corresponding "virtues".
You might just decide that you can be happy with what you already have.
Love and Peace,
YG
TiVo to the rescue
Do you think that the proliferation of DVRs into households can help curb these urges for addiction?
Since I have started using a DVR I would estimate that I see/hear/process anywhere from 5-10% of the commercials I used to.
I am very curious how DVRs will help people handle television in healthier ways for themselves and the rest of society.
Selling to Children is Unethical - Plain and Simple
Yes, people under a certain age so sensitive enough that it's seriously unethical to be targeting people below a certain age.
I aver this position as someone who has sold direct and held quota for over 10 years, and who has worked in Fortune 50 marcom including PR and advertising.
Ads become less effective the older you get, in part I suspect because adulthood brings more self-sufficiency and less peer-influenced decision making. Obviously "keeping up the Jones" by adults is still little more than adolescent peer-influence.
From what I've read, the cross-over point is about age 25 give or take a few years. After that you begin to trust you're own judgment on value and set you own standards for value making advertising little more than a selection information channel rather than a value-framing channel.
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