Sunday 16 June 2013

Loud advertising

irritates me. I suspect it irritates many people I know. My own family is curiously immune to the "come on, buy this" spiel of sellers. If we want (and more likely need) to buy something then we will set about searching for information. 
A "two for one" deal is of no value to us unless we need two of something - and what does "fifty percent off" really mean? (And why is it apparently being sold at that price?) I suppose other people must feel differently. 
There is clever advertising. I recognise that. I can even admire the art and the psychology involved in the construction of some advertisements. I also know they can be very expensive to make. They probably add an unreasonable amount to the cost of the product or service - and there is probably very little that can be done about it.
My brother in law moved to another job recently. The firm he works for endeavours to get advertising more closely aligned with what buyers are searching for. I do not understand the ins and outs of the technology involved but he says that using it can bring in money. I imagine that matters a great deal.
But there is another sort of advertising I am finding increasingly annoying...self-advertising on social network sites.  Yes, the other sorts of advertising irritate me too but social networks depend on it for their running costs and their survival. Presumably the firms and services who advertise there believe it is worth their while or they would not do it.
I know writers like to let people know they have a new book out. Fair enough too. I would if I reached those giddy heights. But going on and on about it will put me off buying the book and reading it.
All that has been said elsewhere.
What really irritated me recently was "advertising" on Twitter by a man who claims to offer a service for men. The problem is that he was endeavouring to use the name of a very prominent politician by pretending to target his message at that individual. The message was presumably some sort of paid-for advertising because it was repeated over and over again for a short period. It has now disappeared. 
It was an inappropriate use of the politician's name and account. No politician should be used in that way - or agree to used in that way. Linking your own name to that of a high profile person in order to sell yourself is the worst sort of  self-advertising. I doubt it will increase his business by much. I hope it doesn't. It does not deserve to. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I know the ad you are talking about Cat - and you are being much too kind! Personally I was getting ready to report it. Chris