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Commentary
Advertisers embrace vulnerability
By Britt Johnsen
Published:
Thursday, January 23, 2003
Britt Johnsen -- Staff Essay
Embarking upon another semester, the first two weeks back to school are usually somewhat reflective for me.
Getting back into the daily grind, I get up for classes, spend hours upon hours at the Chronicle and adjust to a new work schedule (being that the beloved Sam Goody, my former place of employment, has closed).
In comparison, the days of winter break were wonderful; I had only one job instead of three. My nights weren't spent agonizing over grueling homework assignments or time-consuming Chronicle tasks, but were filled with movie-watching and time-oblivious caffeine consumption.
And reflecting upon all the things that happened to me during winter break, one alarming idea came to me as I squealed with delight opening presents on Christmas and walking through malls with disposable holiday money: I am sucker for advertising.
During my break, I succumbed to the various schemes that corporation after corporation dreams up during meetings. I am exactly the customer that they want and need; someone who is snagged by phrases like "only 19.99" and "for a limited time only."
They want someone who will pay an hour's wage on a coffee and a muffin, which is apparently (as advertisers want people to think) more convenient than cereal and toast.
Corporations thrive off of the kind of people who will spend fifteen minutes in a store which hosts "special sales," out of which that person will exit having spent X-amount of dollars on merchandise that one really didn't need, all because they have convinced that customer, with special signs and friendly service, that it is necessary to buy their merchandise even if it's unaffordable.
I am a FOOL!
I never asked to be advertising's slave! I never requested to be dragged down, pushed around and weakened by the mysterious, manipulative ways of advertisers.
The effects of subliminal messages that affect (or attack, depending on how you look at it) all senses produce tremendous results in sales, and ultimately, the checkbooks and bodies of many vulnerable people.
It may be benignly effective for messages with more liberal intentions, such as public service announcements.
With vehement schemes lurking around nearly every corner, however, innocent consumers (such as myself) and their impressionable lives are quite daunted.
Not to mention the fact that a certain amount of powerlessness has been imposed on poor chumps like me.
There's nothing I can do nothing about being constantly affected by radio jingles getting annoyingly stuck in my head.
I don't have much control over the smell of overpriced corporate coffee and accompanying snacks when I am famished beyond any means of control.
There's also not much I can do about the constant beckoning of sale signs and promising headlines of women's magazines.
Embarking upon another semester, I will again resolve to fight hunger with bag lunch and remember that magazine headlines and radio jingles don't actually produce as many results as they promise.
Hopefully I can fight the special sales with which words like "only" beckon me.
I will try to remember that red clearance signs don't necessarily mean the greatest savings of the year.
I will also remember that my checking account is not endless and I can not always afford to succumb to the viscous, manipulative schemes of greedy corporations and hungry businesses, regardless of how amazing the sales claim to be.
In other words, I am going to try not to be such as sucker.
