Advertisements are all about manipulation - with the objective of getting you to buy something based on irrational criteria. And this is really about the best thing to be said about ads: at least they do not generally involve coercion.
Marketing manipulations can be very subtle - and very stupid. I ran across a great example of a stupid one (which means, really, that the advertisers are relying on our stupidity, or at least inability to think critically) in a Christmas Day newspaper ad for new cars:
See what I mean?
They want to give you a sense of urgency: "Hurry! Hurry There are just three to choose from. No, wait! Now there are just TWO left!"
But this is a print ad, not a counter on Amazon.com showing you remaining inventory. If the dealer sold a car right before it was time to finalize the ad, it could have simply changed the 3 to a 2.
That's just DUMB.
They want to give you a sense of urgency: "Hurry! Hurry There are just three to choose from. No, wait! Now there are just TWO left!"
But this is a print ad, not a counter on Amazon.com showing you remaining inventory. If the dealer sold a car right before it was time to finalize the ad, it could have simply changed the 3 to a 2.
That's just DUMB.
