Life without Advertising: Quiet, Too Quiet?
April 26, 2008 by Eric Eggertson
Filed under Marketing
Would you miss advertising if it didn’t exist?
That’s what Terry O’Reilly asked today on his radio series The Age of Persuasion.
In this week’s episode, he takes us to a world where ads don’t exist. Neither does Google, or free TV shows, or most of the fashion industry.
A quieter world, yes. But maybe not as idyllic as we think.
“Advertising stimulates competition, stimulates demand. It is the accelerator of the economy,” he argues.
There would be fewer professional composers and musicians, fewer full-time actors, and fewer employees in all the industries that use advertising to drive sales.
He admits the ad industry has a lousy image, but suggests: “At its best, advertising adds a dimension to everyday life, which I suspect we would miss if it wasn’t there.”
Previous items about O’Reilly:
Age of Persuasion Back for Third Season; CBC Radio Show Spin Cycles Looks at Politics, PR and Media
I totally agree that advertising is a necessary evil in our society today. Although their techniques may be over persistent, clichéd, and of low quality they are still essential to our countries economical development. Advertising does indeed provide jobs, create demand, and keep consumption (therefore the economy) going. Believe me; I am all for a quieter world, but it is simply unrealistic to think that this country would be able to sustain itself without the “noise” of advertising.
I live without advertising and its amazing. I use adblocker on my browser and I use my internet connection as a poor man’s TiVo. I don’t commute via subway so those ads are cut out as well. I’ve lived sans advertising for a couple of years now and it’s really great, you can notice the differences in your own behavior. My purchasing practices are a lot more rational and sound now, (thats not to say I was some shopping addict) when I have a need for something I research the best one and go out and purchase it. Clear and present need drives your purchasing patterns when advertising is muted, and while I realize this couldn’t work for everyone, I wish it could.