Mad for Ads: How Advertising Gets (and Stays) in Our Heads
3000 Messages Creating a brand personality takes time Some of the products we use today have been around for decades some for over 100 years and they might have an instantly recognizable logo or image You can probably think of a few of these How are these corporate brands being built Studies tell us that we see 3000 advertised messages every day If someone said 3000 things to you in another language every day wouldn’t you try to understand what they’re saying If one person said something to you it can be tuned out But if 3000 people did Sheesh that’s a lot of noise Where are those 3000 messages coming from posters buses G821 sports uniforms bus shelters newspapers bus stops social media radio magazines benches public washrooms water bottles
Restaurant SHOP billboards in-game advertising TV commercials the sides of cars flyers subways lampposts storefronts sandwich boards trucks telemarketers bicycles search engine advertising taxi toppers
Tune It Out Most people think advertising doesn’t affect them that they can tune it out You may be thinking that right now But the goal of advertising is to create an impossible-to-ignore idea You might think you’re successfully tuning out advertising because youdon’t look at an ad and then run out to buy what it’s selling But brand recognition doesn’t happen with one viewing When you were a baby someone probably tried to feed you certain foods over and over and over until you accepted the new flavor and texture Advertising works in the same way If you see 3000 what’s happening advertisements a day you may not realize how many times you're getting the same message So no you don’t scroll through your phone see a clever ad for shoes and immediately order a pair well maybe sometimes But just like you’re doing with your personal brand ads are attempting to create an impression These impressions can leave an imprint on our minds See Impressions on page 16 We don’t think ads affect us but they do So
Come along for the Ride Picture for a minute that you’re floating on a lazy river ride completely relaxed The sun is out and splash A fake coconut drops from a plastic tree right next to your inner tube So irritating you think You keep floating and open your eyes An iridescent bubble floats along next to you Oooh you think You want to reach out and touch it but it’s so pretty and you don’t want it to burst The coconut is one kind of advertising Splash It attempts to wake you up hit you between the eyes Buy this Click here Call now But the bubble is another kind of ad It looks pretty and doesn’t disturb your peace It might show up on your phone in your social media in your comic book just a gentle message You might even appreciate what it’s promoting and tools of advertising and come to realize how we’re all part of advertising’s cycle Think of a magician performing magic Magic shows are fun to watch because they’re entertaining but also because magicians want us to believe that something is true and possible even when it seems impossible Do some ads use certain types of illusions for the exact same reason Let’s return to your answers from the beginning Is there a brand attached to what you’re wearing eating listening to For most of us the answer is yes The most successful campaigns don’t even have to point out that they hooked you They just let you do their advertising for them Keep reading to learn some of the techniques
