Comments on: Twelve Ways Advertisers Insult Consumers

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 04 May 2011 21:17:36 +0000

I find it amazing that there are so many articles on the net about “how advertisers insult men” (or women) but this is the only one I found that touches on how advertisers insult EVERYBODY. Yes, the man=boorish oaf who can’t perform simple tasks is annoying, as is the “women will take off their clothes if you wear our crappy drugstore cologne” “our yogurt is essential for ‘regularity’” and “your husband/boyfriend doesn’t love you unless he buys you our diamond”. I remember when I was a kid and cereal/toy commercials came with the heavy implication that their product was “not for grown-ups” or “Grown-ups don’t get it.” Like they forget who is actually BUYING these things. It never ends!!!!

These days I don’t watch tv at all unless I can fast-forward through commercials. I’m tired of having my intelligence insulted every 10 minutes.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:41:45 +0000

Ummmm….it’s “…decreasing the likelihood I will buy their product” NOT “…decreasing the likelihood I will by their product”. Although I agree with you, your dumb ass mistake made me laugh and reduced the impact of your comments. Sad. But American!!!

By: Mark Pris

Mark Pris — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:09:20 +0000

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By: Advertisements That Work on Me - SavingAdvice.com Blog

Advertisements That Work on Me - SavingAdvice.com Blog — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:06:58 +0000

[...] number of people have pointed out that advertisements that insult consumers use these ads because they work and that I must be affected by ads, too. I agree with these [...]

By: Don’t Let Great Marketing Catches You Off Guard | Moolanomy

Don’t Let Great Marketing Catches You Off Guard | Moolanomy — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:01:03 +0000

[...] Twelve Ways Advertisers Insult Consumers @ SavingAdvice.com Share This [...]

By: this is the samaBlog » Carnival Of The Capitalists

this is the samaBlog » Carnival Of The Capitalists — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:56:46 +0000

[...] Christman lists Twelve Ways Advertisers Insult Consumers at Saving Advice [...]

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:53:52 +0000

Eden hit the nail on the head about television advertising. Has anyone seen the GE Profile commercials with the snobby director and his family fixing dinner. I think the ad is very pretensious and seems to convey the idea that only snobby ultra-rich people can afford GE Profile products. Talk about specific demographic.

By: Jimbol

Jimbol — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:29:02 +0000

To me, all adds are irritating in one sense or another. Generally they prey on or create some kind of insecurity that only product A purportedly can fix. However, them MOST vile and irritating adds, generally happen around Christmas. They are the ones hawking superexpensive products like new cars or extremely expensive jewlery. “What’s the matter Mr. Consumer isn’t your wife or girlfriend (or both) worth this new Mercedes? Conveniently priced at just $60,000 to show her how much you love her.” “Or how about this diamond necklace for just $6,000?” GIVE ME A BREAK. Are these idiots for real?

By: Hilary

Hilary — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:07:08 +0000

I agree with Jason (#2). Everyone in the world seems to feel personally exempt from advertizing, and yet it obviously works, or else these companies would not be doing it. Just because the advertizing insults you personally does not meant that it does not work generally.

A general rule of thumb in advertizing is that for every dollar you spend, you are wasting fifty cents of it. It’s just figuring out which 50% you should cut that is difficult. So they know that they are being ignored by 50% of their target audience, but that still fiscally makes sense.

I think it is funny that so many people feel unaffected by advertizing. Whether or not you believe it, your entire consumer life is shaped by these companies. It might not be in the direct advertizing techniques you described, but rather the more subtle ones (like creating an image) that you’ve failed to mention, probably because like most people, you are persuaded by them.

By: Debbie M

Debbie M — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:44:11 +0000

Traciatim: not just you. Or sometimes I interpret an asterisk as meaning: “by which we mean the exact opposite of what you’d expect” or “with the following popular exceptions.”

The worst is when there are asterisks and superscripts that are never explained anywhere on any of the pages.