CrabbiePants's Blog

OK, so Little Ceasars shouldn't show pizzas in their advertising?

And Expedia should not show vacation destinations in their advertising either, I suppose.

Perhaps Chrysler should not show their cars in their advertising, but rather show people walking their dogs?

COME ON! I love how people try to blame someone else for their impulsive buying habits. "it's not my fault...the advertising enticed me!" PLEASE!

Advertisers are doing what they are supposed to do: showcase their goods and services. Are they covertly attempting to coerce you into a purchase? No. They are showing you what they manufacture. Consumers make the decision of the purchase. Any impulsive "stimuli" is easily managable if you have any self control.

I say: GOOD! (BTW, I work for a major ad agency)

As for the drug companies, I don't understand why you took this discussion on that tangent. You were talking about food and vacation advertisements when you started this thread, now all of a sudden it's the big, bad, evil drug companies.

Anyway, back to advertising:

This is called free enterprise. A company may charge whatever price they feel their product is worth, basing that price on their operating costs and projected earnings. If you, as a consumer, feel the price is too high, don't buy the product.

A company is also free to pay whatever they wish for their advertising. They have an operating budget and ear-marking advertising costs is part of that budget. How a company spends its ad dollars is none of your business, unless you are a stockholder. Again, if you think the price is too high (and you equate it to the advertising) don't buy the product.

Simply put, every company is in business to turn a profit...that is the goal of every company. Advertising is how companies communicate with consumers and hope to get them to try the company's product, thereby contributing to said profit. It's really not that difficult of a concept.

Do you think companies like Dell or General Motors or Office Depot or Kroger would generate the same amount of profit if they did not advertise?

And the cost of advertising isn't cheap. There is market research, consumer focus grouping, print production, radio and TV production, actors, directors, voice-over talent, copywriters, etc. Advertising is a service, but it certainly

Crabby, the reality is that all business is "in cahoots" with other businesses. That is the price of doing business.

Is it not just as likely that the buyers for Kroger are "in cahoots" with their vendors? Of course they are! Is it not likely that movie theaters are "in cahoots" with the major studios? Of course they are! Is it not likely that Wal-Mart is "in cahoots" with various manufacturers? You know that they are.

The point is, businesses thrive and survive by favors to one another...they call it "good will", but it's really a way of establishing business relationships. A doctor gets solicited by drug companies for endorsement just as a union gets solicited by a candidate. Favor for favor. If you were in that position, you would have to do this as well to survive in the ultra-competitive business world. Granted, it's not the most ethical practice, but unfortunately it is the only means of survival for business. You can do the "right thing" and not partake and risk going out of business, or you can play the game and survive. That, my friend, is reality.

My college days were in the early 80's, but yes, that would be an accurate assessment of professors of those subjects. LOL!

Anyway, back to work. Got to tell the American public how white their teeth can be! (HA-HA)

CrabbiePants - no idea what your point is with this LOL.

Crabbiepants - you are stating the obvious here.

Welcome to life since the inception of printed material, radio and TV.