Sell Me Something I Don’t Want

Hey all! Today’s topic is how commercials/ads have changed over time and what emotions they are targeting. I hadn’t made the connection between this change and remix but it fits and is true. So here goes nothing. 

Commercials have come a long way from their simple and straight-forward messages. Now some no longer mention the actual product, instead just throw in the name at the end of the commercial. Name dropping…. And hope we make the connection which then, they hope, will have us buying the product. Other commercials over-exaggerate their product, however they can. Still, other products are presented as such life-altering things that one cannot go without.

In my humble opinion, commercials always have involved some tie into popular culture and reference to core values; freedom, liberty, family, the American Dream. However, the newer generations of commercials rely more and more on sex. What’s the saying….”Sex sells”. Yup that’s the one. Moving on. From selling a hamburger, to clothing, to perfume/cologne, advertisers know how to have their product sell out. Modern commercials also use humor – the typical stupid American humor. Some of these commercials are too stupid that they aren’t even funny anymore. But that’s just me. Obviously the commercial works on others because they continue to play said ads. Another way these ads appeal to consumers is through emotions. Specifically, having the actors look so happy to have used the product, so bubbly and full of sunshine and rainbows and throwing glitter in the air. That may have been a little too harsh, but I am looking at you tampon/pad commercials. No woman is that confident to wear a white swimsuit while its her time, and most feel like road-kill so we wouldn’t be at the fictional pool-party to begin with. 

Pulling myself out of my rant mode, advertising professionals know that once our emotions are in control, we are in a very susceptible state. “…in the arms of the angel, fly away, from here…” On that happy note, ~V