Advertising

I remember growing up in Oakland, there was a large billboard at the end of my block that always had a cigarette ad on it. I didn’t know much about cigarettes then but I knew there was always a pretty woman on the poster that looked as though she was having the time of her life. I recall wanting to get candy cigarettes and cigars made of chocolate so I could look as cool as the lady on the poster, now that I know that cigarette use can be pernicious, or deadly, I will never hold a cigarette to my lip. As a kid, I didn’t think much of advertising, nowadays, advertising is so overt isn’t impossible to miss. Billboards, print ads, radio spots, tv commercials, internet pop-ups and banner ads are everywhere we look. Nothing is worse than sitting down to use your computer and immediately get bombarded with hundreds of banner ads attempting to sell people obviously counterfeit designer handbags for 90 percent off retail price, or ads that try convince women with low self esteem that they need to buy miracle weight loss pills in order to get a perfect body in 30 days. In general, I have always despised Internet advertising, I try my best to just ignore web advertisements when I’m online - until now.

In the past few years I have really taken notice to the rise in ads that attempt to sell me something I don’t want and don’t need... male enhancement pills, miracle hair growth products and mail order brides. Do the Internet gods know that I’m not a middle aged, balding man?! Apparently not. In a perfect world people would have more control over the advertising content they view.

Groupon and Livingsocial are websites that send daily deals via text, and email to their subscribers for discounted services and products, ranging from spa treatments to hot air balloon rides around wine country. These two websites are perfect examples of advertising and marketing tools that companies use to generate business in a way that is not pushy and that gives the consumer the choice of offers by personal interest. Groupon and Livingsocial are great advertising tools because businesses get gain access to thousands of targeted consumers in their area and people who have no interest in the product or service being offered don’t have to be bothered at all. This is a win-win situation. I think targeted advertising that gives the consumers the power to choose what they want to see is the best form of marketing because both business and customer will be better off.