Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Marketing Smarketing

Sometimes I wish television didn’t have commercials. Lately I have been finding some of them insulting to my intelligence. Is it just me?

There is a particular grocery store commercial on one of the US channels that claims you will be happier if you shop at their store.

REALLY?

What do I look like? A complete moron?

My happiness is not directly tied to where I grocery shop and it behooves me that someone felt the need to insinuate that it does.

If we had that store here in Canada, I would refuse to shop there based solely on that line of reasoning.

I also want to make mention of everyone’s favourite, love them or hate them, they have taken over North America. That’s right, Wal-Mart. Their commercials lately have been a huge insult to my intelligence too (I am so evolved you know – HA!). Their mantra lately is “Save Money. Live better.”

That in itself is fine but it’s what’s behind it that irks me. What it means, in general, is that in order to live better and be happy, I better buy more. And I am pretty sure that when they say save they don’t mean for me to keep the money, oh no, what they mean is that I can buy more for the same amount of money. And of course I will be much happier because I bought more stuff.

Actually I think what they mean is that they will be happier because they will have more money but that’s a whole other post. I don’t tend to shop at Wal-Mart and these commercials are not whooing me.

You see, I have strong opinions about this sort of thing. Things do not make us happy. In fact, I could argue with you that more things, do the exact opposite. They are a detriment to our happiness.

Don't believe me? Stay tuned, I will prove it or that I am completely nuts either way, I win. (Wha?)

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14 comments:

mamatucci said...

My mom and I say that all the time. There are quite a few that bug me. having worked for Extra Foods for years and knowing alot of what I know.Those Galen Weston commercials make me want to jump through the TV. My mom despises that monistat comercial with the clouds down there! And i cant stand that soy milk commercial with that fidegety lady. Why would she make me want to buy Silk? So I totally get it!

Amy said...

The other commercial slogan that I despise is for a car company, "What you want is what you need."

Really??

Good thing they're not the one teaching my kids the difference between wants and needs, cause according to them, there is no difference!

What ever happened to, "Want what you have and have what you need"?!?

Cammie said...

I pretty much ignore all commercials since Tivo.

Loukia said...

I agree that commercials are, for the most part, completely annoying. Thank goodness for PVR, that's all I'm saying... ;)

I have to say though that when I shop for clothes, or for my boys, or for new shoes... that does make me happy. Not happy like 'I'm at home with my boys and we're playing and laughing together and life can't get better than this' happy, but happy because I do love to shop.

Kristin said...

I have not seen either of these commercials, we don't watch our tv on "tv", but I totally hear what you are saying.
I also am not a Wal-Mart fan, yes I may pay less for something but I will also get less because the quality is just not there.

Angella said...

Word, my friend.

Having a PVR has been great because we never watch commercials anymore :)

Anonymous said...

whay annoys me most are the commercials with all the toys that the kids see, and then constantly hearing "can i have that?" to which we answer "no". and then hearing "but i WANT it". that bugs me. i think its the canestan commercial where the mom is in the bathroom 'lovingly' looking at the box and her daughter walks in. oh please, like real people are happy about that! or "have a happy period". give me a break. some man must have thought of that one.

jackie

BeachMama said...

I just don't get half the commercials these days. Maybe I am just getting to old to understand, but they just don't make me want their product (think Axe, some of those new gums).

Kristin said...

If you are happy and you know it, shop, shop, shop...isn't that how the song goes?

Kami said...

Do I forsee a "no shopping for X-amount-of-time challenge"? That would be cool to watch from the side-lines. Don't know that I could join in...however I do agree with you on how stupid, insulting, and lame most commercials are. I buy what I buy because I need/want it. Not because someone on tv tells me to.

teeni said...

Commercials are so far from what they used to be and some are downright insulting. Also, Wal-Mart is known as Hell-mart in this household. I can't wait to see what else you have to say about this. :)

Debo Hobo said...

I can not stand commercial and there are more and more everyday and less and less of actual programming.

I do however love Wal-mart and there whole suck me in gimmick. They purposely don't staff the isle adequately so we have to wonder around looking for the items we need and pick up crap we don't. I went in one time just for cat food and came out with $200 worth of stuff I didn't need.

Wha?

Natalie said...

thanks for just making me smile! i've missed you... i agree, it is not at all about the stuff!

Unknown said...

Oh man, you've hit the nail on the head. I hate wally world anyway. I NEVER shop there. But also, Best Buy had an ad campaign lately where at the end of the commercial they say "You. Happier." That ad makes Tim SO mad. 'Cause you know if you buy more t.v.s you're gonna be happier, right? ; )