A lot of our life today revolves around the media: newspapers, internet, TV. Even chatting with friends is more and more about a movie, a game/match or a blog post. OK, not blog posts.
The media is two things: First, things that hook us, and second, things that target us. News, sports, series, movies, yoga, cartoons, Nat Geo etc. are the things that hook us. Every 5 minutes or so, we are targeted. By advertisements, opinion, religious propaganda, national propaganda, organisational propaganda (Uninor, Google, HP, BP et. al.)
What surprises me is how much of this targeting targets young people. People in the ages of 15 to 25, mostly. If it does not target this age group, it targets people who somehow want to feel like being in this age group. Beauty products, health products, medicines-that-revitalize.
Why the hell is that? Because young people are vulnerable to making uninformed choices. Someone in their 30s or 40s is more likely to have set habits. Maybe that is why Pizza and Coffee shop ads show young people partying at these places.
Additionally, young people are normally moving out. This means they need everything. Need bed? Yes. Need car? Yes. Need microwave? Yes. Need TV? Why not, where else will I get the ads?
The media is two things: First, things that hook us, and second, things that target us. News, sports, series, movies, yoga, cartoons, Nat Geo etc. are the things that hook us. Every 5 minutes or so, we are targeted. By advertisements, opinion, religious propaganda, national propaganda, organisational propaganda (Uninor, Google, HP, BP et. al.)
What surprises me is how much of this targeting targets young people. People in the ages of 15 to 25, mostly. If it does not target this age group, it targets people who somehow want to feel like being in this age group. Beauty products, health products, medicines-that-revitalize.
Why the hell is that? Because young people are vulnerable to making uninformed choices. Someone in their 30s or 40s is more likely to have set habits. Maybe that is why Pizza and Coffee shop ads show young people partying at these places.
Additionally, young people are normally moving out. This means they need everything. Need bed? Yes. Need car? Yes. Need microwave? Yes. Need TV? Why not, where else will I get the ads?
Your observations are absolutely correct. The media is nothing more than a propoganda tool used to channel our thinking and prey on our emotions.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon.
DeleteYou are most definitely onto something here. Also, young people are more irresponsible with their money - they'll shell out cash for the "flavor of the day" - whatever fad is "in".
ReplyDelete"Flavor of the day" it is.
DeleteYep that is how it works, older people are set in their ways, or have kids, mortgage etc, younger people don't and are open to being bombarded by the crap ads
ReplyDeleteYes, the ads are crap, but some of them are fun to watch.
DeleteVery well summed up.. Nice one :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ankit.
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ReplyDeleteThe media really targed us! In Brazil there is a television channel that "handles" the people. For example, if they are advertising for a presidential candidate, this candidate wins, even it's a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad candidate. That's why Brazil is really a sh* and I still don't know why we will have the World Cup when we have to pay dearly our studies if we want to be someone, when now we have fear to leave home because we can be robbed, murdered, raped or kidnapped (it happens ALL THE TIME! and do you know more? suppose I kill a person: I get stuck >at most< thirty years, but usually the killer pays the police and released from prison in the same week) and more... we pay about sixty percent of taxes in a single banana. I'm really angry with this while everyone thinks it will be good for Brazil to have the World Cup. Well, I don't know what the other countries think, but I really believe they don't know how badly we are!
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to see such things happen. Your comment tells why many young, talented people in India and Brazil, and I am sure in countries all over the world want to go to Europe or America.
DeleteJust like football, we have cricket here. Same feelings.
I bet the rich don't pay taxes there too :-)
You are talking about advertising and influencing 15 to 25 year old. In USA, advertising to children is a big business. Teens spending, children (upto 11 years) spending, tweens (8 to 12 year olds) spending, and children and teens influencing parental purchase is about $800 billion each year.
ReplyDeleteEverything you wrote is believable, but the $800 billion figure will take me some time to believe.
DeleteJust to clarify. Out of this $800 billion, children and teens "influencing parental purchase" is about $650 billion. They influence which car to buy, which home to buy, where to go on vacation, which hotel to stay, which restaurant to eat and so many other things.
DeleteI understood the 'influencing' parents part.
DeleteRather small or short things are fine by me, like 'which hotel', but 'which car' and 'which home' too? It is good in a way.
We developing world people can laugh at the Americans :-)
Yep, you're right. advertising to younger people is big business because even if they don't have the money for what they want, they can and usually do ask their parents for the money to get the things they want.
ReplyDeleteThis is so right. I will remember this comment everytime I see some kid throwing a tantrum somewhere.
DeleteThese days everything and almost everyone have turned so materialistic. And when ads do tell us about the new products it just influences kids in a bad way too. And as always kids are the easy targets than their parents.
ReplyDeleteWe can take some relief in the fact that things are not as ad-filled as in the US. But we also have to be vary of the fact that things while going bad only take a few moments (literally).
Deletequite an observation and i couldn't agree more, media doesn't just seem to be channeling our thought process but seems to be selling habits and the young minds are delicate enough to fall pray to 'what's in'...
ReplyDeleteYes, it is inculcating habits to the stage when people refuse to use the words that things are called, and use only the brand. Like, 'McDonalds' instead of 'burger', or 'Dairy Milk' instead of 'chocolate'.
DeleteThanks for the follow. Hey no one targets the over 65s for the reasons you state - we've heard it all before.
ReplyDelete