The Persuaders

1) I think that we are headed into a time where advertising and persuasion by companies is becoming much more personalized. Advertising companies are trying harder to create this emotional and spiritual bond with the consumer that will enable them to get through to consumers like never before. They want to create and maintain this meaningful system that will allow for them to personalize advertisements. I think that in the future this is just going to get worse. Companies are targeting by demographics and then going further into these groups to create groups based on very distinct details. There are companies which collect data about consumers to give to companies that break people down into groups based on certain things. They are trying to create a lifestyle, and in doing so they must learn as much about peoples likes and dislikes as possible. Due to the success they are having, I think that these techniques will continue. People are continuing to come up with new ways to reach the consumers, such as using different words and colors, and even as far as trying to decode unconscious behaviors. I think that some techniques are taking it too far already but I know that it is probably only going to get worse.


2) I think that as a human in general, not just as an American there is certain things that make us susceptible to some messages. Companies try to use advertising to create this emotional bond with a consumer and just like people like to feel loved by friends and family, it is not different with the products they consume and many companies realize this. Consumers want to feel this emotional and spiritual bond and most of the time once they do; they become loyal to that brand. As Americans, I think we are more likely to be susceptible, as everyone wants the best products out there or they want to be like a certain movie star or singer. We are constantly searching for the new Ipod, car or computer. If companies are able to reach out on that emotional level, consumers relate and want that service or product. The main idea here is that they portray it as you need this product to be happy and without it, well you’re nothing. You have to see this movie or get this product, and most of the time, Americans do. We are seeking an identity in buying or joining a brand. People buy things and with that product expect to be something. It is all about connecting to consumers on this emotional level that creates brand loyalty. In the video they talked about Song Airline and how they tried to create a lifestyle, not just another airline. They wanted people to not just fly on Song airline but to actually be Song, whatever that may mean. They tried to create this bond with consumers so they felt as if they belonged with them. A lot of the time this is the goal; to create this identity associated with certain brands. The American Express campaign is situated towards everyone’s individual lifestyle, whether you’re a business man, or a stay at home mom, a teacher or an engineer; this card is for you. It is creating this lifestyle that can appeal to everyone, yet somehow bring them all together. As far as political advertising, it can grab people just like advertisements for products. They can trick you into believing something that really isn’t true and get you to buy into this “identity.” I think that we have come to be so accustomed to these advertising techniques that we may not even realize them, and with the political ad’s it can mean a lot more than buying a certain laundry detergent.

3) The common elements in the persuasion/selling strategies of advertising and marketing are this emotional and spiritual bond. They are trying to reach people on a different and much deeper level then before. They want you to associate a lifestyle with the brand, not just a product. These brands create a great amount of loyalty that gets to a certain place within consumers and remains there. Some say that the decisions we make are based on certain unconscious behaviors and we really do not decide. Marketers are trying to go as far as decoding these behaviors. Some are testing how language affects consumers and what words can be more effective. The video also talked about creating a love mark, something infused with mystery and loyalty that has some kind of iconic place for the consumer. I think that consumers need to just step back and look at ads from a surface level at first. Since the ads are trying to get at us on an emotional level, we need to just disconnect for a second and examine the product, not the whole emotional/spiritual bond associated with it.