Advertising: Has it Affected Me?

Media has always been an important part of my life--as is the case with most people of my generation. Interestingly, while I do not normally pay much attention to advertising, advertising has played a large role in my life. How? The impacts have come through subliminal and overt means alike.

Advertising seems to be emblazoned everywhere I go. Fifty years ago, advertising was basically confined to television, newspapers and magazines, conventional billboards, and the radio. Over the past twenty years, advertising has moved to new reaches, including the internet, pre-trailer spots during movies, cars, and---yes---even the bellies of expecting women.

Where is advertising going? Can advertising infiltrate my life anymore? Much of my day is already spent staring at advertising. I wake up and turn on the television---advertising. I turn the computer and internet on to check my email and read the news--advertising. I drive to my college classes and buzz by the billboards, store signage, and banners--advertising. I walk around on my college campus and walk by the many kiosks, marketing tables, and people passing out handbills--advertising. If any one counts seeing company brand names on applicances, vehicles, and furniture, then I probably almost never have much time in my life without advertising--or company logos.

But how has advertising directly impacted or affected my life? I normally do not pay much attention to advertising. I have seen and heard so many advertisements in my life that I think I now largely regard advertising as "noise." Ads are largely a blur to me. In fact, the only advertisements I really pay much attention to are those which air during the National Football League's "Super Bowl"--certainly not a surprise, given that many people watch the Super Bowl for the advertisements as much as they watch for the game.

Interestingly, I find I do occasionally pay attention to "buzzwords" and catchphrases in advertising. For example, "2 for 1," "free," "limited-time offer," and "50% off" tend to get my head to look up to the television and my ears to tune into the radio.

Quite the opposite for internet advertising. I find almost all advertising on the internet strikes me as a nuisance. Internet advertising always seems to be "in the way." Pop-ups, fly-outs, and banners are the bane of my internet surfing. I cannot recollect the last time I truly read or payed much honest attention to any online advertisement which popped up before me.

Please don't call my opinions mere "rantings." Take them more as a lesson. Why? Because the point I am making here is that advertising, for me, is mainly effective when I must "surrender" to it. An advertisement on the radio or television will more than likely grab my attention because I "have" to listen to or watch it if I want to stay on the channel to enjoy the program I was tuning into. On the other hand, internet advertising is usually superimposed on or alongside the web page I am viewing. Therefore, the advertising is physically intruding upon the material I was patronizing.

In the end, I purchase what I like. Be it I pay attention to advertising or not, I am generally not influenced by advertising--at least on the conscious level. I don't buy a product just because an advertisement "convinced" me that their product was worthy of purchasing.

On a subconscious level, I would be fooling myself if I did not believe advertising has had a subliminal impact on my life. I may not pay much attention to advertising, but I would be dishonest to suggest advertising has not at least made me aware of products or name brands I would have otherwise never sought out on my own. I have moved few products for companies merely because of their advertisements. But, at the very least, I cannot escape advertising. It has surrounded me. Some messages, slogans, and jingles set in to my head, most do not.

A note to advertising agencies everywhere--IF you manage to get me to hum a jingle or take a second look at a product I have never heard of but you threw in front of my face with one of your advertisements, you have accomplished to overcome a tremendous challenge!