Advertising-magic and spell

This writer was a bit stumped as he sat down and ‘switched’ on what he calls (boastfully, I think), his ‘under-skull.’ It’s his idea of a play on – ‘lap-top’. (Which he doesn’t have or use – relying on his brain – (under-skull) Yeah, it’s corny, I know. Anyway…… where was I…. [(You were stumed for ideas or something. Tesfu, stop rambling! Ed)]
Yeah sorry. Thanks. (I so hate that guy). As I was saying, what surprised me was the difficulty level of Society’s topic this week – How effective is advertising? Notice that the question is not ‘if advertising is effective – or not but on ‘how’ effective it is. I decided to get some help and gather some comments.
Before hitting the streets I decided to select the following segments of society: pre-teen children, teens, working young adults and middle aged adults, especially a confirmed shopoholic mom.However, my most beautiful, charming and frankest commentator was also a tricky prospect-How do you ask a five year old how much advertising influences her? Tact was required so I prodded her to name her favorite brand of sweets, “Will you buy me one if I tell you?,” countered the little black mailer. I assured her so and she continued – leading me at once out the gate and to the corner shop. Apparently, she has no idea what the her candy brand is called but she did have a clue. “It’s the one on TV”, she said finally. There are so many TV commercials for gum and candy’, I reminded her but she explained; “Its the candy advertised by that nice girl with long hair-like mine.

How effective is advertising?

I must confess that I favor products advertised by a hot looking girl. I don’t think I’m an exception as most advertisements and commercials feature young and beautiful girls. By the way, does the reverse work for women?

Samuel, 18
Student

Advertising is a powerful art that never ceases to amaze me by the subtleness of how it works on our sense of perception. The person that says advertising doesn’t affect them is not being honest.

Kisal 27
Ad exec

Advertising affects me in strange ways. For instance, I may buy a certain brand on a regular basis because I happen to like it. However, if that product starts to appear on billboards, radio and TV commercials, it feels less exclusive to me and I drop it from my shopping list. I sound like a snob, but I just can’t help it.

Bertukan, 22
Secretary

Commercials with witty dialog and good accompanying music always grab me. It really doesn’t matter if the product advertised is not of high quality. The best advertising makes you change your perception.

‘Samba’, 33
Teacher

I can say with complete honesty that advertising doesn’t affect me in the sense that it changes my outlook or that I would buy something I wouldn’t have before I was “exposed”. In fact, I believe that the entire industry of advertising is immoral, relies on deception and is not at all an honest activity.

Belui Betru, 56
Banker

I think I am greatly influenced by advertising but simply because every body else is too. If my friends suddenly start buying a certain product which is being heavily promoted, chances are I will end up joining the club!

Feruz Ali,
Nurse
I am sensitive to things that I call ‘external pressure ‘
influencing me against my better judgment. Advertising does have that effect on the unware. It is like narcotics or liquor because it takes away our own, undiluted perception of what is or not desirable.

Kibret,mom
Photographer