Get the Message? Part 2 - Consumer Strategies


If your only defense against the impact of advertising is to ignore it, I've got some bad news for you: it probably won't be enough.

For one thing, advertisers know what you're trying to do. So you can bet they're going to do whatever it takes to create advertising that's impossible to ignore.

The internet is a good example. The industry is wringing its hands about internet users, and their uncanny ability to ignore banner and pop-up ads. The end result, some say, may very well be more pay-for-view sites, since revenues from banner ads haven't proven to be the cash cow many had hoped for. At the very least, we may see online advertising shape-shift a bit in the future, as advertisers explore new ways to deliver their messages.

We already see the evolution of advertising on TV, where an advertiser may use expensive, cutting-edge technology to engage us for just a few seconds. We see ads that are entertaining/shocking/funny; we find ourselves admiring the creativity, even if we're less than enthusiastic about the purpose. As well, many national advertisers focus on image advertising -- even if our conscious minds shut down, our subconscious minds may be soaking it up like a sponge.

So to have some control over advertising's impact on me, I think I'd better not ignore it. Instead, I think the first step is to make sure I'm aware of it, at least part of the time. Advertising is everywhere, and it takes many shapes and forms. Radio, television, newspapers and magazines. In our mailboxes and kitchen cupboards. On our tee-shirts and running shoes. Knowing it's there, and recognizing it for what it is, may be the most crucial strategy a consumer can adopt.

My next step is to take a closer look at some of those advertising messages, in a critical frame of mind. I don't need to do a detailed critique; all I have to do is answer a few questions:

  • What do I like and dislike about this ad (or logo)?
  • Why do I think it appeals to me?
  • What is the advertiser trying to make me think, or do?

Third, I try to avoid impulse buying. When you stop and think about it, where exactly did the impulse come from? Planning ahead often plays a big role whenever you're trying to make the most of your time, energy and money; shopping is no different. Try to plan your purchases in advance, when you're away from the influence of enticing store displays.

The copyright of the article Get the Message? Part 2 - Consumer Strategies in Thrifty Living is owned by Donna Dunn. Permission to republish Get the Message? Part 2 - Consumer Strategies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic