Most of our choices are not rational decisions. Advertisers understand this very well. By appealing to our primitive and social agendas they try to trigger urges endemic to human nature.
Although milk may make us healthy (and therefore happy), it sells best when paired with someone beautiful. Advertisements influence purchasing habits by sparking automatic impulses. They are designed to trigger any number of cravings. This might be to attain something new, enjoy your family, have better sex, gain more power or prestige, you name it.
Amber, you ask a very interesting question: Are unconscious forces more powerful than conscious forces? Probably. Cognitive neuroscientists say that we are largely governed by unconscious decision making, by the emotional unconscious. However, once you observe something, and can think about it, you gain some control. That is why it is so important to know your self. Becoming more introspective allows you to study the hidden forces that guide you, many of which are quite knowable. And then they become more manageable. It helps to become an Emotional Detective.
Posted by: Dr. Meyer | 03/31/2011 at 05:18 PM
This makes complete sense that advertisers would appeal to our basic human needs and desires, yet what is interesting is that subliminal messaging has not been proven to work, but this almost shows that in some aspects it does. Is our unconscious more powerful than our conscious?
Posted by: Amber Lutey | 03/29/2011 at 06:39 PM
I'm so excited that this topic was brought up! Whenever I watch commercials, or see at advertisements in magazines, I tend to think about it from the advertiser's perspective instead of the consumer's view. I always tend to think about who the advertiser chooses to play a certain role, what that character says, and what the message is trying to say. I completely agree that pairing an attractive person with a product has the ability to increase consumption of the product. This is incredibly insightful!
Posted by: Lindsay M | 03/29/2011 at 06:38 PM
Valid point! It's interesting to see the subtle marketing advertisers use to link their product with innate human desires. We instinctively as consumers are drawn to their product because we are almost inherently driven to consume
Posted by: Andrea | 03/29/2011 at 06:31 PM
I couldn't agree more with you!
Posted by: Elsita | 02/24/2011 at 02:41 PM