Next time you’re at your favorite supermarket reaching for a roll of Bounce or a bottle of Old Spice or a jar of Ragu, it might be interesting to ask yourself why. You may simply be in the habit of buying these things, so in that case ask yourself why you ever reached for them in the first place. Chances are it was because of an ad you saw, most likely on TV. Television is where advertisers pour most of their money, and many ad execs consider themselves purveyors of great art, creativity, and invention — indeed, they are creating something that is often visually stunning, sonically riveting, and frequently tells a complete story in 30 or 60 seconds. It’s gotten to the point where many people watch the Holy Grail of American TV for advertisers — the Super Bowl — specifically for the commercials.
Some experts say that the average American sees around 108 TV commercials a day. Whoah. Think about that for a second: One Hundred and Eight.
Think about how many times you might talk to co-workers and friends about the crafty Apple commercial you saw during 30 Rock, or that hilarious Bud commercial during the Lakers game. Guess what? You are now actively discussing a product, and it is lodged in your cranium where it will ferment with more viewings. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are actively thinking, “I am now going to buy (insert product X here)!” The influence is subconscious and often highly effective — there is an explicit psychological science under all of this.
Here are my recommendations for weaning yourself off of the TV ad meat grinder:
1. Next time a commercial is on and you’re staring blankly at it, become aware of what you’re doing and instead analyze exactly what the ad is trying to get you to think and/or do, which demographic it’s aiming for and how it’s reaching it, and how it is using images, comedy, drama, music, or any combination of those to achieve its goals. Think about why the clever ad and marketing execs chose that particular song, those particular actors, and how they’re fostering a positive opinion of their product in your mind through those means. It’s truly fascinating! Notice what products are advertised during shows you like, such as Apple on Fringe or House, or Coca-Cola on American Idol. The simple act of noticing and being aware of all of these things can start to free you from their grasp.
2. Now that you’ve separated yourself and can intelligently observe how ads subconsciously affect your buying habits, it’s time to dump them. Mute your laptop and check your email when you’re watching Hulu and the commercials blare at you; mute and then turn away from the TV when the ads come on; don’t get pulled in by the shiny lures that have been carefully crafted to dumb you down enough to stay glued to the set in between your favorite show. Be careful not to fool yourself into believing that you’re simply being entertained — there’s much more to it than that. You may be surprised over time at how freeing this becomes.
I watch TV like anyone else, though lately I limit it to a few hours per week if I can. The trick is to separate yourself from the commerciality of it by actively engaging your mind in another way/shutting the influence off when the commercials come on, and by being conscious of product placement in the shows you watch. Either that or you can submissively accept being told what to buy and where to buy it — for me, that’s a very undesirable place to be.
