Most Americans don’t think their particularly affected by adverts, but it can’t be for nothing that the advertising industry monitors the publics buying habits, and spends billions of dollars researching which are the most effective ways of influencing us. We probably like to think that we’re too smart to be seduced by such “branding,” but we aren’t. “Familiarity breeds liking.” When products are essentially equivalent, people go with what’s familiar, even if it’s only familiar because they know its name from advertising.
Think of those commercials we can never seem to get out of our heads. Each one is the brain child of an industry expert and typically associated with saturation and manipulation. One film I would like to get my hands on is Doug Pray’s documentary Art & Copy. His video elaborates on key artistic types that were successful in their careers because of non-traditional ways of thinking. Though the average person wouldn’t know their names, they have substantially impacted our lives through cultural influence.
For those suited for the art of advertising, there is room for you. Original ideas are the future. As entertainment value within ads gains importance, the ability to create “a dialogue with customers…a story that involves a listener” is crucial. With emerging media gaining popularity, the skill set to become a professional communicative conversationalist is much desired from ad agencies and elite marketing firms.
