I see an "add comment" box on the poll, so two relevant stories:
First, on the topic of advertising in specific:
One day I walked into a bookstore and saw a poster for a new book by Orson Scott Card, which I immediately purchased. Thus, I've answered "yes" to the poll. Without knowing that the book existed, I would not have been able to purchase it. Since then, I've been fairly shocked by how little advertising books do.
Second, on the topic of hapless customers succumbing to the invisible mental manipulations of marketers:
One day I went to get lunch at a mall food court. While I was standing in line, I decided that I was thirsty enough to get a soda along with lunch. I expected a question along the lines of "anything to drink?"
But in this case, I was walked through the order fairly aggressively without that question, and I became anxious that I might end up not having ordered the drink. At the very end of the process, the question was asked, and I ordered my drink. If it hadn't been, I wouldn't have, but I would have been upset. (I also would have learned that I needed to order from that place more forcefully in the future.)
But note that this is the opposite of how people normally talk about this kind of thing. I decided in advance that I wanted the drink.
2 comments
[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 16.4 ms ] threadFirst, on the topic of advertising in specific:
One day I walked into a bookstore and saw a poster for a new book by Orson Scott Card, which I immediately purchased. Thus, I've answered "yes" to the poll. Without knowing that the book existed, I would not have been able to purchase it. Since then, I've been fairly shocked by how little advertising books do.
Second, on the topic of hapless customers succumbing to the invisible mental manipulations of marketers:
One day I went to get lunch at a mall food court. While I was standing in line, I decided that I was thirsty enough to get a soda along with lunch. I expected a question along the lines of "anything to drink?"
But in this case, I was walked through the order fairly aggressively without that question, and I became anxious that I might end up not having ordered the drink. At the very end of the process, the question was asked, and I ordered my drink. If it hadn't been, I wouldn't have, but I would have been upset. (I also would have learned that I needed to order from that place more forcefully in the future.)
But note that this is the opposite of how people normally talk about this kind of thing. I decided in advance that I wanted the drink.