6/30/2003: Deceptive ads - Page 2

SteveDallas · 06-30-2003, 01:56 PM

And this from a woman who took her handle from an advertising slogan!

russotto · 06-30-2003, 03:19 PM

I like ads. I think it's great that people will pay to entertain me (not just with the ads, but with the movies, TV shows, etc, which go along with it) and I give them nothing in return. While they're milking all the suckers who WILL buy product because of an ad, I'm milking them.

Of course, if an ad is particularly annoying, it's likely to make me NOT want to buy the product or use the service. _Old Navy_ is still on my "do not shop" list due to the ads they once ran.

Jacque Strapp · 06-30-2003, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by russotto
Of course, if an ad is particularly annoying, it's likely to make me NOT want to buy the product or use the service. _Old Navy_ is still on my "do not shop" list due to the ads they once ran.

Which were those? I happen to think their ads are pretty uninteresting, but I still shop there because their clothes are cheap, look good, and last a long time. So I patronize them in spite of their ads, not because of them.

The only time an ad has ever led me to buy something was when it made me aware of some product that I didn't know existed. The style of the ad doesn't matter, although of course some of them are entertaining.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-30-2003, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Of course, if an ad is particularly annoying, it's likely to make me NOT want to buy the product or use the service.

Bingo! Me too. Make a mental list of ads that annoy me and boycott those products.
I told a telephone solicitor I wouldn't buy anything from someone that phones me, even if I want it. He found that incredulous. We had a 5 minute conversation about my position. He wasn't trying to break down my resistance, just interested.
Great post UT.

99 44/100% pure · 06-30-2003, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SteveDallas
And this from a woman who took her handle from an advertising slogan!

Yeah, I know -- it's not the first time I've gotten that response. The handle is from a private joke when I was stalking -- um, lurking around, trying to get a rise out of HB. I guess I should adopt a REAL handle now, but I've grown somewhat fond of this one. Besides, it's pretty accurate.

Re Old Navy, in addition to applauding those who try to avoid products with annoying ads,* I stay away from stuff like Old Navy because the product itself is an advertisement. As I noted in some earlier thread, if the company wants to turn my kids into walking billboards, they should be paying us.

*Market research shows that ads which supposedly annoy people are nearly as effective as those which are judged by consumers to be "funny" or "enjoyable." The point is to give their product "real estate" (akin to shelf space at the store) in your brain. Whether it's in a positive light or not doesn't matter to the advertiser -- they're money is on name recognition.

warch · 06-30-2003, 05:56 PM

Sweden bans all ads that target kids.

Bill Hicks didnt mince words. "By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself."

06-30-2003, 08:42 PM

I too don't shop at Old Navy because of their annoying ads. The ones with the old woman and that fucking dog, like when they were on the plane. And how many times has this been stuck in your head?

Old Navy, Old Navy, Old Navy performance fleece!

Fuck Old Navy. And fuck X10. Those are two companies whose products I will never buy.

Nothing But Net · 06-30-2003, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dave
Old Navy, Old Navy, Old Navy performance fleece!

Fuck Old Navy. And fuck X10. Those are two companies whose products I will never buy.

I am totally in agreement with you on that point, dave.

What a waste of a Morgan Fairchild!

Mav · 06-30-2003, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dave
I too don't shop at Old Navy because of their annoying ads. The ones with the old woman and that fucking dog, like when they were on the plane. And how many times has this been stuck in your head?

Old Navy, Old Navy, Old Navy performance fleece!

Fuck Old Navy. And fuck X10. Those are two companies whose products I will never buy.

Same here. The sad part is, most people will shop at Old Navy because of those ads. They target them at the mass majority who, 'go with the flow' so to speak, they'll believe an ad, and buy its product. No real judgement or individuality.

The companies realize "hey there are a select minority out there that no matter how stupid and simplified and comedic we make our commercials, no matter how repetitive and how often we play them, they won't buy our product". But they know its a minority. Whereas the majorty, are gullible. Hate to say it but its the truth. It's like designer stuff or fads. These days its cool to have the latest Doc Martin shoes or Aber Crombie and Fitch tshirt. The ads are dumb, waste of time yet people buy them (over priced might I add).

jaguar · 06-30-2003, 10:45 PM

I have a wired relationship with these things. On one hand I don't mind *some* ads. I don't mind a few ads in the paper, I don't mind sites using a couple of standard issue banner ads to help pay the bandwidth bills. What shits me is the attitude some advertisers take (particularly with sponsored events) that the event should be ENTIRELY about them, utterly pasting their crap on every flat surface, or those FUCKING ANNOYING flash ads that pop up all over the site you're trying to read, I’ll eat rusty nails before I’ll buy crap from companies that do that kind of thing. On the other side are companies I boycott for ethical reasons, Nike, adidas, nestle etc.

Ironically enough I’m now part of a team planning the launch of a new venture for a major IT manufacturing player in the Asia-Pacific region and part of that is marketing and advertising. As part of this effort we're buying banner ads on some appropriate websites and some 'branded' ventures. The philosophy we're trying to apply is one of getting a short, direct message across without being either distracting or annoying. On one hand it seems antithetical to the entire idea of marketing - on the other hand there is little to be gained by annoying your audience. We want to be seen to be promoting and supporting what matters to our target audience without attempting to blanket those things in our marketing crap and thus alienating people. Rather than doing a nike and attempting to co-opt and assimilate a culture and community we merely want to be acknowledged for supporting. Thoughts?

SteveDallas · 07-01-2003, 08:35 AM

Open-source "tivo"? Not exactly but.....

http://www.nexedi.com/en/news/pr2

Undertoad · 07-01-2003, 08:47 AM

Open source TiVo exactly:

Freevo

The name is unfortunate but the features are on their way.

bartman · 07-01-2003, 09:33 AM

We recently bought a house, and get, on average, at least one official-looking envelope a day that says

With regards to Mortgage Company loan #

You have not signed up for our mortgage protection plan. Do so immediately!

Once I read the small print, I found that the mortgage company is not sending this out, it's another company trying to make it look like it's them. No phone number to call and tell them "no thanks, fuckyouverymuch", and no way to find out where they are (other than a PO box number in some faraway city).

On the ones that include pre-addressed envelopes to return the application, I usually fill them with coupons from stores, comics or obits from the newspaper, or even the applications (minus any identifying info) switched around between companies. If they want me to have to waste my time opening their shit, they're gonna get some shit in return. I have a whole pallet of leftover bricks in front of the house, so pretty soon I'm going to start packing bricks in boxes and pasting pre-paid envelopes on the boxes. It makes me feel better knowing that someone has to sit down, open the envelope, and say 'what the?!?!?!?!'

xoxoxoBruce · 07-01-2003, 03:14 PM

Quote:

(minus any identifying info)

Why? If you don't let them know who you are, there's no chance of getting off the mailing list.

Jacque Strapp · 07-01-2003, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bartman
I have a whole pallet of leftover bricks in front of the house, so pretty soon I'm going to start packing bricks in boxes and pasting pre-paid envelopes on the boxes. It makes me feel better knowing that someone has to sit down, open the envelope, and say 'what the?!?!?!?!'

That doesn't work, the post office will just throw them away. It's been tried before. The prepaid envelopes don't cover that much weight.

I usually just rip out the identifying bits on the application and send it back, that wastes their money and time without taking too much of my time. If they have a 1-800 number and you're bored, you can call them up, that costs them more than postage, methinks. It also drives home your point a lot more effectively.

06-30-2003, 08:42 PM	#22
dave Guest Posts: n/a	I too don't shop at Old Navy because of their annoying ads. The ones with the old woman and that fucking dog, like when they were on the plane. And how many times has this been stuck in your head? Old Navy, Old Navy, Old Navy performance fleece! Fuck Old Navy. And fuck X10. Those are two companies whose products I will <b>never</b> buy.

06-30-2003, 10:45 PM	#25
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	I have a wired relationship with these things. On one hand I don't mind some ads. I don't mind a few ads in the paper, I don't mind sites using a couple of standard issue banner ads to help pay the bandwidth bills. What shits me is the attitude some advertisers take (particularly with sponsored events) that the event should be ENTIRELY about them, utterly pasting their crap on every flat surface, or those FUCKING ANNOYING flash ads that pop up all over the site you're trying to read, I’ll eat rusty nails before I’ll buy crap from companies that do that kind of thing. On the other side are companies I boycott for ethical reasons, Nike, adidas, nestle etc. Ironically enough I’m now part of a team planning the launch of a new venture for a major IT manufacturing player in the Asia-Pacific region and part of that is marketing and advertising. As part of this effort we're buying banner ads on some appropriate websites and some 'branded' ventures. The philosophy we're trying to apply is one of getting a short, direct message across without being either distracting or annoying. On one hand it seems antithetical to the entire idea of marketing - on the other hand there is little to be gained by annoying your audience. We want to be seen to be promoting and supporting what matters to our target audience without attempting to blanket those things in our marketing crap and thus alienating people. Rather than doing a nike and attempting to co-opt and assimilate a culture and community we merely want to be acknowledged for supporting. Thoughts? __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

06-30-2003, 01:56 PM	#16
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	And this from a woman who took her handle from an advertising slogan!

06-30-2003, 03:19 PM	#17
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	I like ads. I think it's great that people will pay to entertain me (not just with the ads, but with the movies, TV shows, etc, which go along with it) and I give them nothing in return. While they're milking all the suckers who WILL buy product because of an ad, I'm milking them. Of course, if an ad is particularly annoying, it's likely to make me NOT want to buy the product or use the service. _Old Navy_ is still on my "do not shop" list due to the ads they once ran.

06-30-2003, 05:56 PM	#21
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Sweden bans all ads that target kids. Bill Hicks didnt mince words. "By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself."

07-01-2003, 08:35 AM	#26
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Open-source "tivo"? Not exactly but..... http://www.nexedi.com/en/news/pr2

07-01-2003, 08:47 AM	#27
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Open source TiVo exactly: Freevo The name is unfortunate but the features are on their way.

07-01-2003, 09:33 AM	#28
bartman not really bart Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 67	We recently bought a house, and get, on average, at least one official-looking envelope a day that says With regards to Mortgage Company loan # You have not signed up for our mortgage protection plan. Do so immediately! Once I read the small print, I found that the mortgage company is not sending this out, it's another company trying to make it look like it's them. No phone number to call and tell them "no thanks, fuckyouverymuch", and no way to find out where they are (other than a PO box number in some faraway city). On the ones that include pre-addressed envelopes to return the application, I usually fill them with coupons from stores, comics or obits from the newspaper, or even the applications (minus any identifying info) switched around between companies. If they want me to have to waste my time opening their shit, they're gonna get some shit in return. I have a whole pallet of leftover bricks in front of the house, so pretty soon I'm going to start packing bricks in boxes and pasting pre-paid envelopes on the boxes. It makes me feel better knowing that someone has to sit down, open the envelope, and say 'what the?!?!?!?!'

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