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Advertising Tries to Sell Something
We know about the advertising in magazines, on radio and TV, and in other media. We see it as we surf the Internet. If advertising did not work, it wouldn’t be done.
Sometimes ads are quite helpful. They help us decide what to buy, where to buy it, and what is a realistic and good price to pay. They can alert us to real bargains. They may try to persuade us to vote for some person or to pass some measure put on the ballot. They can help us find a school or church to attend.
Sometimes advertisements can be misleading. The advertiser doesn’t always tell us the truth, or he only tells us half-truths.
Sometimes we see advertisements on clothing, such as T-shirts. They are sold as “just clothes”, but they also double as advertising messages. When someone sees a message on your clothing, they are likely to think that you support that product or that idea.
There are often subtle “placements” in the story of TV programs or movies, suggesting we smoke such-and-such cigarette, or drink Pepsi.
Advertisers are very careful about being sure the message being received is the “correct” message; the one they wanted to send. Sometimes they goof! One story has it that when Sav-On drug store changed their name to Osco, they couldn’t figure out why sales dropped off in Spanish speaking areas. Then someone pointed out that osco in Spanish means “vomit!” Mystery solved. They changed the name back to Sav-On!
We know that different advertisements appeals to different types of people. It is analogous to fishing. If you want to catch a certain kind of fish, you use the bait that fish really likes. People in advertising even use the fishing analogy. They talk about the bait used and the hooks in their ads used to catch particular customers.
We advertise our inner selves. We do this by:
We advertise who we are inside by everything that people can observe from the outside.
We want to send the message that we are cool, in fashion, and modern. We want to fit in. We want people to like us by our appearance. We want to:
- · Look better.
- · Gain attention.
- · Impress others.
- · Attract the opposite gender.
There is nothing wrong with these goals.
Girls select the makeup they use, the jewelry they wear, their fingernail polish, lipstick, hairstyle, and hair coloring. Sometimes wigs are used.
Boys select their hairstyle, the clothes they wear, the way they speak and act, and the things they do.
To learn what is “in” we look around to see what is popular. We look to others of our age. We check out actors, singers, athletes, and others. We look at the store ads in magazines and TV. Nothing wrong with that.
Sometimes, without realizing it, people advertising themselves can goof up on the message they are sending. The age doesn’t matter. Young and old can send messages they did not intend. I’ve seen “mature” adults who couldn’t seem to send a good message about themselves.
To keep the length down, this section is written for girls (women), but much of the content also fundamentally applies to boys (men).
Sometimes the message is not what the girl wanted to send.
A girl may notice that other girls are getting a lot of attention from boys. She wants attention. She starts dressing like other girls who seem very popular. She wears skimpy and revealing clothes, outrageous makeup, and a wild hairstyle. She dies her hair in wild colors. Her T-shirt says "SLUT," like I have seen girls wearing. (The message is that she IS a slut!)
She starts to get attention from boys. What she may not realize is the attention is based on the message some boys may be receiving: “I am wild. I am sexy. I am easy. I might be willing to go to bed with you.” Without realizing it, she is advertising that she is an “easy” girl. WRONG BAIT!
Of course she gets attention! That is exactly the bait some boys are looking for! (Boys, that is, who have not yet become civilized men!) But are those the boys the girl is looking for? (Is she using the “bait” for the “fish” she wants to “catch”?) Maybe so. I hope not! The girl who attracts that kind can expect to be used and mistreated.
Be careful about the messages others may receive from you!