Re:Brave: Brendan Eich's clean-ads browser startup
by ferentchak on Wednesday January 20, 2016 @11:44AM
(#10939328)
What if the ad makes you aware of a "problem" that you didn't know you had that they have a product that can address. Think for example an ad reinforces the underlying fear that you are not social enough because you enjoy programming by yourself. It explains that a pill to help "anxiety" is what you need to be healthy or maybe a class to help you become better spoken will change your life for the better.
Many people fail to note that an advertisement often creates or reinforces your fear and sells you the solution to the newly created problem.
Re:Brave: Brendan Eich's clean-ads browser startup
by rockdoe on Wednesday January 20, 2016 @11:50AM
(#10939380)
Hell, advertisements for candy or drinks. I wasn't aware that I was hungry or thirsty but that sure looks tasty!
Re:Brave: Brendan Eich's clean-ads browser startup
by ionised on Thursday January 21, 2016 @04:57AM
(#10944272)
That's called psychological manipulation and exploitation.
When you understand and come to terms with the fact that that's what pretty much all ads are doing, it becomes much simpler to view the ads only with disgust and avoid the brands they are peddling in future.
Re:Brave: Brendan Eich's clean-ads browser startup
by joelbrewer01 on Wednesday January 20, 2016 @11:57AM
(#10939439)
"...in which I had no previous interest"
What piqued your interest to begin with?
An ad may make me aware of a product of which I had not previously been but it's not going to induce me to buy something in which I had no previous interest.
If I'm thinking of Widget Class X Brand A, an ad might make me aware of Brand B and I may eventually purchase the Brand B but I was going to purchase Widget Class X anyway.
If I had no interest in Widget Class Z, it doesn't matter how many ads I see for it, I'm still not going to buy it.