The art of advertisement, has introduced into all our life such a lavish use of superlatives, that no standard of value whatever is intact. - Wyndham Lewis
I really think people who believed what commercial ads are saying don’t know better. Ads companies have staffs that do research to find what makes people “tick” or what social group prefers what commodity. They then designed their ads, for what ever product they endorse, to that kind of mindset or consumer demography. In a way we are being conned. They even have a term for us – target customers. It feels like we are in the firing range.
Take for example instant noodles. They claim it’s nutritious, pack with vitamins and minerals. For crying out loud, where’s the nutrition in that? Its noodles, made from flour mixed with artificial flavoring to make it edible. Not to mention what other chemicals are in it, if it’s carcinogenic or not. You’ll get more mileage and nutrients eating a stick of banana cue.
Cosmetic is another thing. Since most pinoys are obsessed with fair skin, light-skinned models are hired to push their products, therefore projecting an image that you’ll be “white” after several applications. I’ll believe this crap only if Wilma Dozen turns as white as Kris Aquino after using it. Worst comes to worst, you’ll look like a kabuki actor or that girl from The Grudge.
Car ads are also pretentious. They talk about how strong its engine going from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds or boasting a 12 speaker stereo system and other amenities not particularly related to driving or car performance. I don’t care about those specs except how far it will go to a liter of petrol. For an ordinary man like me, all I want is a ride to go from point A to point B without sweat dripping down my armpit from flagging taxis. And then see them roar away because I won’t agree to a “fixed fare”. In my opinion, in all practical purposes, a person who wants an expensive sport car or SUV has only two reasons for buying it. Either to show-off or get laid.
Political ads disguised as “humanitarian effort” are the same. Lately, Manny Villar’s ad, showing him helping distressed OFWs is on TV every commercial break. It’s redundant to a point of being pathetic. We see it now and then that my 4year old daughter have memorized and can sing its jingle. If he really wants to help, instead of spending money to pay in airing that phony ad, he could have used it to help the victims of Ondoy. I don’t care if he puts his name on every plastic bag containing relief goods. Nakakapantawid gutom yun, ang commercial, hindi!
I wish we become a little bit cynical and refrain from believing everything we see and hear. But from what I observed, we got a long way to go before we could distinguish fantasy from reality and truth from falsehood.
tama ka diyan pards. ang kinaiinis ko lang, ginagawa tayong tanga lalung-lalo na ng mga info-ads ng mga pulitiko. naku naalala ko na naman tuloy mga commercial ni villar at mar roxas. pfffft!
ReplyDeleteAdd the commercial of softdrink "Coke adds life"
ReplyDeleteAds are deceiving medium just want to attract our money.
Only a hand full can tell the truth, but still limited info.
That is why companies spend more than what they gain from commercial. because even them have been deceive by the ads co.
Oh, the Villar ads. I had to cringe when I saw the very first one---the OFW thing. I'm sure he had helped a some if not many people in the past, but making an ad about it kind of cheapened the act.
ReplyDeleteardyey, pag dating sa politiko, kahit anong "portrayal" ang gawin nila sa ads, panis na panis ang dating sa akin.
ReplyDeleteLifeMoto, baka "coke adds diabetes" sa dami ng asukal. You know what, goods, especially the well-known brands, only becomes expensive because they have to cover the cost of advertisement.
Katz, true, kahit anong kawang-gawa, lalo na ng politiko, pag hinaluan ng "publicity" nagiging barya!
Fail on the Villar ads, that's the reason why he has to beg for my vote, and even if he does, he doesn't get it, same thing with Puno, Binay, and a lot more who gets their ads shown on tv as if it is an exhibit of their greatness.
ReplyDeleteAnd with all these, political ads are the worst. =) When I'm back home, I would sometimes watch TV commercials just to update myself and be entertained. I must admit, some kooky ads are cool enough. But not enough to deceive me. =)
ReplyDeletethe more they advertise, mas lalong di ako kumakagat
ReplyDeleterule ko yan
sheng, good for you. As the saying goes - "Action speaks louder than info-ads". : )
ReplyDeleteMs.Jo, oo nga. Sa TV, yung isang hamburger ads pag tinitingnan mo katakam-takam. Pero pag inorder mo na, parang nadaganan ng pison.
About, I always have second thoughts sa mga taong nag bubuhat ng sariling bangko!
advertising is the art of effective lying. truth is, alam naman natin lahat na hindi totoo ang mga promises ng produkto pero binibili pa rin natin.
ReplyDeleteMay tama ka diyan! Lalo na yun suggestion mo na itulong na lang sa biktima ng Ondoy ang binabayad sa mga ads ng mga pulitiko, magandang idea yun ok lang yun may name ang plastic bag baka lalo pang matatak sa mga tao ang kanilang pagtulong. Pero sana pala supot na lang para environmental hehehe. Well sa ibang mga ads, binibili natin ang mga produkto na yun lalo na kung natatanim sa utak ng tao yun jingle na ginamit nila, panghatak atraksiyon talaga kahit alam nating hindi naman talaga natin mahahanap sa produkto kasi nga lahat ng produkto ganun din :-)
ReplyDeletewhen it comes to helping the victims of ondoy and pepeng, kahit na makita ko pa ang mga pangalan nila sa bag. in whatever form, the acts of helping and service will make a difference in the lives of the victims.
ReplyDeletethe problem with most ads is aside from being untrue, or misleading, they are not even presented creatively. no clear concept, or there is a concept but amiss.
haha, kabisado naba ng anak mo ang mga kanta sa infomercial ni manny villar @ TFC? "akala mo konyo un pala hindi"
ReplyDeleteAds are designed for a reason - to goad you to buy the product even if you don't need it ! Likewise, some products are for boosting one's identity, that he/she belongs because he/she has one even if it is bought hulugan ng anim na buwan hehe :)
ReplyDeleteR-yo, not all of us knows that. Some really believes especially pag endorsed by Sharon Cuneta! : (
ReplyDeleteSardz, ang sa akin lang sana, magpakatotoo ba ang ads. For example, a slogan like - "BMW - for people who wants to get laid!" : )
bing, true, yung isang supot na tulong will go a long, long way in the mind of the victims.
Theo, papano nya hindi makakabisa, maya-maya ini-ere yung info ads. : )
ReplyDeletebw, so its a matter of "The Joneses has one". I believed its one of the root causes that eventually leads to the US financial crisis.
marketing 101: to create needs where there are none. it's truly saddening.
ReplyDeletesana nga lamang, ang lahat ng nakakapanood ng telebisyon ay katulad mo at nang iba pa na alam kung ano ang panloloko at kung ano ang "true deal".
ReplyDeleteit is with hope that we say na sana eh maging educated na ang tao sa kung ano ba ang paniniwalaan niya.
Matagal ko nang nabasa ang blog post niyong ito, hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko. Honestly, pinapatay ko ang TV kapag nakikita ko ang ad ni Villar! Whew!
ReplyDeleteIbig sabihin niyan, sa isang oras, hindi ko mabilang kung ilang beses ko inu-off ang TV. Huhumn.
Mimi, true, commercial ads thrive on the ignorance of consumers
ReplyDeletesiyetehan, yes, education sets as free. BTW, thanks for dropping by.
RJ, Pag palaging dinuduldulan sa isip mo ang ganitong info ad, nakakamanhid di ba?
sinabi mo pa, minsan yung pamangkin ko talagang tutok sa panonood ng ads sa tv at nagpilit talagang nagpabili at mukhang napakasarap daw, nung ibinili at natikman sabi ba naman "lier yung bata sa tv, sabi yummmy e lasang cardboard namana pala" yaiksss lol
ReplyDeleteewan ko ba kung kelan tayo matututo, alam na alam naman nating nililinlang lang tayo dami pa rin kumakagat, kahit naman dito, ang puputi na ng mga tao nagpapakamatay paring magsipaputi samantalang yung mga puti nagpapakamatay makuha lang ang kulay natin, haaay tao nga naman.
teka, anu na nga ba epektib pampaputi?
TZ,re: "anu na nga ba epektib pampaputi?" - agua ata... agua oksinada! : D
ReplyDeleteHindi yata maganda ang iyong opinion "In my opinion, in all practical purposes, a person who wants an expensive sport car or SUV has only two reasons for buying it. Either to show-off or get laid". Matagal na ako sa USA - Chicago suburbs nakatira at working hard (10 hours a day - 6 days a week) to make money to enjoy life as it goes. My wife drives a BMW X5, I drive a BMW 330 XI and my son drives a Audi 2.0 Quatro. So what is wrong with that. I drive to work 45 miles each way and I need a reliable car. Are you suggesting that I should by the cheapest car to get from point A to point B. Or are you only saying that because you cannot afford to buy those kind of vehicles for your family? Alam ko kaya mo lang sinasabi yan ay dahil sa ikaw ay babalik din sa Pinas dahil hind permanente ang trabaho mo overseas at para ka makaipon. Ako dito nasa US for the last 29 years. Kailangan din makaipon at magpaaral nang anak.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, first of all its my opinion. It doesn't count wither you like it or not. But you are right, I can't afford to buy a BMW or an Audi. But even if I can, I still won't buy those expensive European cars. Its a matter of praticallity. A Nissan Pathfinder for an X5 or a Toyota Camry for a 330XI will do the job just as well with respect to reliability.
ReplyDeleteBut if you have to maintain a certain "status quo" which you deemed important in your private and business affairs, then it justify buying those expensive cars. Good for you!
Adverts sell. Ang effectivity nya, nalalaman sa sale ng product.
ReplyDeleteBut adverts cost us. In fact, malaking bahagdan ng presyo ng isang bilihin ay kinakain ng advertisement and packaging. Kaya nga kahit halos wala ng laman ung nasa loob basta maganda ang packaging at advert, binibili ng tao. For example: softdrinks. It's water and whole lot of other ingredients (mostly unhealthy) pero bakit sya hit na hit? Because of advertisements (packaging is also a form of advertisement). Because we are led to believe na softdrinks will quench our thirst when in fact, it dehydrates us even more.
May mga adverts nga na nag-iiwan pa ng subliminal message sa utak natin. I think, beyond being cynical about it, the best thing we can do is not watch tv at all. (Masyado ba akong drastic?).
OMG. Nasa Pinas ka na?
ReplyDeleteNebz, tigilan mo na yang kababasa ng mga conspiracy theory na pocketbook. : )
ReplyDeleteatticus, ha? no. I'm still here in the ME. Bakit mo naman na sabi yan?