Found The Perfect Reviewer

[Exophase]

I have a lot of respect for you and the work you do Exophase. But if you believe you've never been manipulated into buying something then you're wrong. We all have.

I see how you can think that this is what I said, but it isn't. WizardStan originally said that EVERY purchase you make is influenced by factors unrelated to the product, which is very different from saying that some purchases are. Of course I think I've probably been manipulated by a product at some point, or I wouldn't have said I don't like being manipulated. And saying that doesn't mean that I always realize it either, you can not like something on principle.

Be that as it may, I don't actually make very many purchases and the ones I do have a lot of practical thought placed into them. I can say pretty confidently that I'm not often affected by advertising or marketing decisions, especially since I don't see that many ads for things in the first place. That doesn't make me smarter or anything, on the contrary I think I'm a pretty naive person. I'm just not that much of a consumer and am stingy with money.

 

[WizardStan]

WizardStan originally said that EVERY purchase you make is influenced by factors unrelated to the product

No I didn't. I can see how you thought that's what I meant, but when I said "If you have ever bought a product" I meant "If you are a normal human being who has to buy things".

 

[Exophase]

No I didn't. I can see how you thought that's what I meant, but when I said "If you have ever bought a product" I meant "If you are a normal human being who has to buy things".

Actually I think what you said is pretty clear:

"If you have ever bought a product, you're decision has been influenced in some way, whether you were aware of it or not, I guarantee: the colour of the package, the layout on the shelf, the advertised price, the spokesperson on the commercial; it all adds up, trying to put a "this product is better than competition" in the parts of your brain that influence decisions."

You said that every product I've bought has been influenced by marketing. There's really no two ways about it. Apparently that's not what you wanted to say afterall, but...

So I'm not a normal human being who has to buy things, right? Of course I have to buy things, but it's more necessities like food, clothes, and shelter than luxuries that are being talked about in this thread. Yes, I realize advertising targets these things too, but it's pretty easy to make decisions on what to buy to eat more based on how much you like the taste, how much it costs, and how healthy it is, and it's pretty easy to buy clothes based on how much you like how it looks.

 

[WizardStan]

It honestly was meant to be a tautology. "If you have ever drank water", "if you have ever worn clothing", "if you have ever bought a product". Same pattern, a universal thing that you can't deny which leads into the proof I'm trying to make, but like I said, I can see how you might have thought otherwise.

 

[ashdjones]

Being an INTJ (mastermind) type person I am very objective and do not generally fall for commercials. However, I can easily be persuaded by facts. So for me to be interested you have to make me realize that what you are selling is something I wish I had (like a Pandora). Hot chicks will make it more likely that I actually watch the commercial/review though.

INTJ is also commonly known as the NERD type of person

Me too!

I've been exposed to heavy amounts of marketing since birth (especially television). I really don't get why intellegent people and advertisers think it has some magical power over me. In my experience, even as young as five, marketing only makes me want something I would have already wanted... but make me want it more. There's no mystery to it at all. It's just one person getting another person extra interested/excited about something. We do it here - all of us, keeping each other enthusiastic about the Pandora. Enthusiasm is catching, that's why it was game magazine previews rather than the efforts of ad-men that always got me wanting a game (although not anymore).

Once upon time advertising was pragmatic and objective and about facts. Since the sixties it was all about stimulating feelings and ideals. When you're exposed to the latter from birth you develop a general immunity. Ad men need to develop a new kind of marketing, a new strain, something I don't have defenses for (and no, spamming social news websites isn't it).

 

[mali]

Advertising/commercials only work for spontaneous purchases. In the very moment you are really interested in a product and engage your mind, it wont work. Commercials try to establish associations on a subliminal level. These associations work for impulsive purchases.

Btw, does anyone know John Carpenter's movie "They live"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lwlx3GnLGs