advertising

Wrinkled Wisdom – Carping about Ads Again!

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Advertisements.  They are everywhere and more intrusive than ever!   Researchers say the average person is exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements every day.  What???  Television and radio commercials.  Newspapers.  Magazines.  Direct mail.  Billboards.  Internet advertising has grown by leaps and bounds.  Social media nowadays feels like a shopping mall.

This constant targeting has created a phenomenon known as “consumer marketing fatigue.”  Two-thirds of us don’t watch TV ads.  We mute the ads, switch to another channel, or just leave the room.  Have you ever been scrolling through your favorite blog or reading a news article online when suddenly a pop-up ad invades your screen?  Can’t hit that X and delete fast enough.

Interestingly, it’s print magazines that still get the attention of their niche audience. Magazines deliver a higher return on advertising spending across all media, averaging a $3.94 return on every dollar spent.  Whoopie!  But, that’s five percent higher than all other categories. 

And, lately it’s hard to find a good ad.  Even Super Bowl ads haven’t been that entertaining.  Okay, we did get a kick out of the WeatherTech commercial this year.  It featured four “golden girls” speeding along in a vintage 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible, singing Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild.”  The gist?   WeatherTech’s floor mats are designed for real-life messes and adventures.

The Charmin bears need to go.  Bears’ butts are not that cute and the whole shtick is stale.  GEICO’s gecko is no longer appealing.  Giving the gecko a new look, a cowboy hat and fake mustache, is supposed to grab us?  Nope!

Commercials featuring LiMu the emu are driving people insane, if Reddit postings are any indication.  LiMu is a shortened form of the company’s name, Liberty Mutual.  Posts complain that the commercials are dumb and feature the worst jingle.  Time for LiMu to retire and go back to the farm?

Probably the most irritating and possibly harmful are the drug ads.  The FDA commissioner says these ads “are filled with dancing patients, glowing smiles, and catchy jingles that drown out the fine print” and “distract by design.”  Viewers often self-diagnosis, leading to inappropriate use of medications, increased healthcare costs, and even adverse health effects. 

Then there is the required, exhaustive list of side effects ubiquitous with every TV ad for prescription drugs.  Fatal throat swelling.  Deadly allergic reactions.  Liver damage.  And, you expect us to ask our doctor to prescribe this drug??

We do get a kick out of Valpak, a direct marketing company that mails out coupons featuring local business.  They now randomly include three $100 checks monthly as an incentive to get us all to open the envelope and skim through the ads, hoping to find a check.  They don’t want you to know that their mailings go to over 41 million homes.  Like those odds??

Some of the grossest TV ads are the ones for personal products.  The full body spray deodorants?  At least they embarrass both men and women.  It can be awkward to be with the younger grandkids when they pop up.  Quick channel change!  Muting doesn’t hide the cringey visuals.

We did giggle at a comment from one marketing expert who insists that there is a great deal of advertising that is much better than the product.  “When that happens, all that the good advertising will do is put you out of business faster.”

So, our wrinkled wisdom for today?  Check with family to find out who knows how to block ads on your phone and computer.  Great if you can record your favorite TV programs and skip the ads.  Have the book you are reading or the crossword puzzle ready when you mute those ads.  Kill those 12 to 17 minutes of ads each hour with something fun!

P.S.  For our entertainment, share with us the ads that irritate you most…that’s if you are actually watching, listening to, or reading any!

Wrinkled Wisdom – The Advertising Industry Has a Problem

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We hate ads. We’re not alone. People of all ages hate ads. Companies worldwide spend more than $300 billion annually on advertising that over 90 percent of us pretty much ignore! People also complain that ads today are more intrusive. No kidding. We’re bombarded on television, Facebook, YouTube, apps, games, and even old fashioned billboards.

We will admit to enjoying some humor in ads and those featuring “our” music. Loved learning that most ads for wristwatches have them set to 10:10. That way, the hands frame the brand name and create a smiley face.

And, yes, we do raise our heads and look at the TV when commercials feature classic rock. California Raisins once used Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through the Grapevine. Carnival Cruises once used Bobby Darin’s Beyond the Sea. But, Geico made a blooper using the Allman Brothers’ Midnight Rider to promote its motorcycle insurance. Duane Allman and the band’s bassist were both killed in motorcycle accidents. Oops!

We are especially ticked by the ageism that is alive and well in advertising. What’s the key to marketing to us?  Use some common sense. Don’t call us old in the ad. We also aren’t excited about being called seniors citizens, elders, or even boomers. Okay, got to admit those terms are better than the days when people our age were labeled geezers, codgers, duffers, and old farts.   

A recent focus group came up with calling us advisers, coaches, wise ones, masters, experienced, and seasoned citizens. Huh?? Seasoned? What are we, food?

The view of the human race would be distorted if it were based on primetime advertising alone. You barely see older people. Only about five percent of U.S. advertising focuses on people over 50. Fifty! Apparently, we don’t exist… except for Depend diapers and ads for drugs that reportedly improve memory.

Yet, in a study polling people of all ages asking when you’re too old to do things like go back to school, start your own business, or date romantically, an overwhelming majority answered that you’re never too old. So there. Quit focusing on age as an indicator of consumer habits.

America does have an obsession with youth so most marketers focus on millennials and Gen Zers. Not smart! Not only do they not have the big bucks; apparently, they are not very loyal to products and services. Ageism in ads could be the consequence of the average age of employees in the advertising industry…34.  Hey, run some of your ideas past mom and dad!

Ignore us at your own peril! There are lots of us and we’ve got money! Respect “seasoned” citizens!

Eureka!  How about ads that focus on our actual needs and lifestyles instead of our age? This would increase the ad’s appeal to all potential buyers. Heck, we eat in and dine out. We drink alcohol. We wear clothes and wash them. We take care of our lawns. We update our homes. We use hair products and lotions. We exercise. We own computers and cell phones. How else would we communicate with the younger relatives? And, we buy lots of stuff at the pharmacy like everyone else for the sniffles and headaches, in addition to the Rogaine for our thinning hair.

Laughing over a number of news articles recently talking about Facebook and Google banning ads for sexual wellness products aimed at people over 50. Are their employees aghast that “seasoned” citizens are having sex?? Read the stats, millennials. ED can hit at any age!

So, our Wrinkled Wisdom for today?  Social media gives us a voice to criticize condescending and stereotypical ads. Let ‘em have it on Facebook. Boycott brands whose ads tick you off. Don’t underestimate our clout! Yelling obscenities at the TV doesn’t do a thing, but sure makes us feel better. Smile when you see age-appropriate actors pushing products. Otherwise, hit the mute button and tackle a crossword puzzle till the show comes back on. Oh, and, could we dump the “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” ad? It’s been on and off TV for 33 years. How about, um, I ate too many edibles and can’t get off the couch!