In an ideal world, commerce would be fair and above board i.e., present the product, tell the truth and if the product idea is good, sales should be successful. Unfortunately, there are a large number of Advertising Executives who are well-educated, monetarily motivated, quasi social scientists who DO NOT play fair. The true social scientist studies people with the intent to understand and possibly help society. Political science and Business majors studying advertising, use social research to exploit people, particularly those less aware of the rules.
‘They’ will use any means necessary, fair or unfair to expose your weaknesses
as human beings and consumers…
Sex has sold products for years - remember the subliminal ice cubes? Recently, with the aid of a little neuro-science, FEAR has taken over marketing. Fear and its immediate resolution is a much stronger motivator for selling products, ideas or charity, than sex could ever be. When you are scared and anxious, sex takes a back seat. Fear activates the unconscious biological THREAT response system originally designed to protect us from foes. The adrenaline kicks-in, the pulse and blood pressure rise and you feel anxious and uncomfortable. Immediately, they present the solution in the form of some product for sale. Even the thought of this product will ease you back to calm.
The ‘fear-mongering method of advertising’ is easily identified - if you know how. 'They' are predictable and 'they' are formulaic in advertising. Basically, “The Formula” for the ‘fear-mongering method of advertising’ is as follows:
(There are a million variations on this formula, simply change the THREAT to suit the product)
The Formula:
1) Present THREAT to initiate the biological ‘Threat Response’ - creates anxiety.
2) It is a THREAT because you lack X - they can provide X.
3) If you buy product X, the THREAT is gone - anxiety subsides.
Advertisers typically threaten three basic human conditions: a) physical health, b) social relationships and c) personal self-identity and well-being. Present a threat to your health and poof - instant anxiety. Present a threat to your social life poof - anxiety. Present a threat to your identity or self worth poof - anxiety. These people are highly schooled and study for years on how to get this response. We are unconscious victims of science turned bad.
Health care products are Huge! Why? Because we buy them. The real question is why we buy them. Excluding actual sick people, most purchases are due to fear mongering advertising. Ray Moynihan in his book, Selling sickness: How the World's Biggest Pharmeutical Companies Are Turning Us All into Patients, provides evidence on how women are presented with the idea that menopause is a physical deficiency, not a normal natural state of aging. This deficiency threatens horrific symptoms ranging from hot flashes to nervous breakdowns. No problem, the drug companies have a little X laying around that will solve all your problems and even get you playing tennis.
Human beings need to be social; that is, they need there fellow man/woman. These social THREAT commercials work two ways. The first is simple, if you do not buy product X, you are offensive to others and risk social isolation. The second is a little more subtle e.g., buy product X and boost your social relations, make more contacts and increase your likelihood of love and success. In this case, if you do not buy product X, your success is threatened.
The first method is simple. The THREAT is being socially isolated; the solution is deodorant X. Perfume X on the other hand, is going to make men crazy about you, marry you and support you for the rest of your life. The THREAT here is lack of success. Therefore, buy perfume X to reduce the chance of losing success you only fantasized about during the commercial. Reality Check!
A survey asked over a thousand men, “Which do you prefer, a fresh washed woman, or one wearing perfume?” When able to answer honestly, men overwhelmingly prefer a fresh washed girl to an artificially stinky one. Of course, he tells the woman that he loves it; behind his tolerance of the eye watering, breath taking stench of woman’s perfume, he just wants to get lucky.
Finally, advertisers looking to lift a few more bucks from your pockets will threaten your identity and self worth. In my opinion, people identify with celebrities way too much. However, celebrities in ads foster that positive image you identify with, and then they present product X. The threat here is cognitive dissonance. These idols use product X, so if you do not, maybe you are not as solid with this identity as you thought - creates tension.
Humans react to abstract threats and these companies have learned to use that information for their own greedy gains. Be aware of the most sinister of these, the ones that presents themselves as caring folk just trying to ‘educate you’. It is a more sophisticated celebrity presentation, where supposed academics (whom we used to trust and respect) who are actually doctors and scientists paid buy the company selling product X. They come across as sincere and knowledgeable, yet are getting hefty fees for speaking on a product's behalf.
Okay, what can we do about it? First, simply become aware of their tactics, learn and understand ‘The Formula’. Secondly, whenever possible refrain from purchasing products from companies using this method of advertising. These techniques work on the unconscious and the unsuspecting. Knowing the rules of the game is helpful. Be aware and choose wisely.
by xntrk
xntrkpublishing@gmail.com
