Multiple Chemical Survivor: Manipulation, Coersion, Corporate Corruption and Other Shiftiness

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Manipulation, Coersion, Corporate Corruption and Other Shiftiness

Advertising is all about capitalism and the bottom line. How much money can be made regardless of who is being manipulated and used, and regardless of product quality vs. common good. Corporations push their bad products through advertising attempting to make us believe we NEED useless, unhealthy or unnecessary stuff. It doesn't matter if the item will waste our money, pollute the environment or make us sick as long as the corporation profits. Unfortunately the world is overpopulated with ignorant suckers who buy into the sales gimmicks. For the rest of us we have to suffer the indignity of being treated like morons.

Online advertising hasn't quite figured out the Internet yet which is so weird to me. Advertising companies still approach marketing as if we are still in the 1950's, a captive audience sitting in front of our television sets with no access to information. In reality, we are able to log on the Internet and search for anything we want. Why are we forced to watch commercials for products we don't want? Why don't they take the next step and create consumer participation commercials where we can select topics of interest and products we want to learn about? How hard can it be to create some kind of program so if I log into Hulu.com I can, in advance, select products I might really be interested in buying? Instead we are still forced to watch 30 seconds times three of drivel that make us want to run to the bathroom and vomit. What a waste of time.

And then there is spam. Someone needs to figure out a way to control spam and make it useful. Why am I getting daily messages to Enlarge Your Manhood! I DON'T HAVE A MANHOOD! Or Fucbook. Actually, Fucbook makes me kind of laugh, but it irritates me that deleting this spam daily wastes my time and no one has figured out I'm not interested.

Commercials that make me scream and scratch my eyes out:

Drugs. Viewers don't even need to know what the drug is for. All they have to do is ask their doctor if they need it. "Is Viagra right for you? Ask your doctor." How is pushing drugs legal? I bet the drug companies are hoping people are so stupid their brain will get foggy half way through so they can't hear the side effects. My most recent un-favorite commercial is the one for the ADHD drug Vyvanse which includes the side effects hallucinations, serious heart problems, stroke, fainting and sudden death. Hey, just a precaution: stop taking it if you drop dead. Who is dumb enough to take this drug? What parent is stupid enough to approve it for a child? One of the warnings is to contact your doctor immediately if you have "change in thoughts." ??? So if you think, that's a bad sign? Makes total sense to me!

Promoting Addictions. How is it fine to have commercials for alcohol and drugs, but not cigarettes. What about Five Hour Energy? The latest commercial for Five Hour Energy is all about a doctor survey. Of course, there is fine print right on the screen but it flips too fast for the human eye. Nice. It could say anything disclaiming what the pretty lady is saying aloud. At the end she asks, "Is Five Hour Energy right for you? Ask your doctor." It's being marketed as a drug. And then there is junk food...

Junk food commercials. The products that are marketed to sound healthy are especially irritating to me: Lean Cuisine, Kool-aid, Pop Tarts, chocolate milk, cereals targeting children. Does no one read labels? Are all those chemicals really healthy? Is it the artificial FRUIT flavoring that makes them healthy?

Household products and chemical cleaners. Especially the ones by Johnson & Johnson, a family company. I take that slogan to mean "we want to poison your family." They also manufacture drugs. Or the air freshener commercials. If your house doesn't stink like spring time or mountain freshness, you are a bad, bad person. Never mind the chemically sensitive person choking.

Cologne and Perfume. Actually these just make me feel sick to my stomach. I cannot figure out why people want to pay money and smell so bad. And the commercials are always geared to suggest if you use this stench you will be popular, beautiful, and rich. Sad, sad, sad. It's the same with commercials for hard liquor. Only the very cool people drink and stink.

Animal feces. Why does anyone think I want to hear about a constipated dog? Does someone really think a cat digging in kitty litter is cute?

I think what irritates me the most is the assumption that I am so stupid I can't think for myself and the sales gimmicks and false advertising they use to sell me the product will make me run right out and buy something I don't need or want.

The Winners...

I do have a few favorite commercials, not because I think the product is good or needed, but because they make me laugh out loud or are clever. The good ones are so infrequent they stand out so far above the rest it makes one wonder why advertising is so lacking in creativity. Here are my favorites:

Geico Insurance "Easier Way to Save" "There he is..." LOL!