Build A Better Box

Go figure.

Recently, I read an article that talked about the power of advertising; specifically how car and liquor ads entice the younger generation to drive too fast and drink too much.  A “national study” had been done that suggests this is so.  No doubt, countless hours had been devoted to the exhaustive research and analysis that led to this brilliant conclusion: advertising actually seems to have an affect.  Egads!  People are influenced by what they see!  It took a national study to conclusively prove what tens of thousands of marketers hadn’t known since the dawn of advertising: that yes, indeed, we are Pavlovian lemmings who are persuaded by what we are exposed to. Who knew?

If kids can be compelled to buy that sporty new 8-cylinder death trap and terrorize the neighborhood streets, could they also be compelled to buy $100 sneakers, expensive portable music players, and unlimited calling cell phone service?  Or worse, how about being influenced to “Be cool, stay in school,” “Just say no,” or “Rock the vote?”  Eek.  One can only hope not.

What was of obvious amusement to me was that the researchers behind the study and the subsequent newspaper story portrayed the findings as a great epiphany.  How had no one seen this coming?  “Hey guys, we just produced an ad for our new 2-seater, and, sure as Noah cut a few trees down, kids are actually buying them!  They’ve also been caught driving too fast, but that’s probably bad parenting.”

OK, so this is all a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the point is that the power of story is all around us – from corporate videos to logo-embroidered baseball caps to car ads - compelling us to buy stuff and act in certain ways.  It doesn't take a national study to figure this out.