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mitch · 06-30-2003, 12:31 PM

For the most part I agree with dave. I'm a proponent of the free-market mentality -- those places with content worth viewing will get traffic, and if it's worth money to pay for that content, they'll pay according to the perceived value. I pay a small yearly or lifetime subscription fee to those sites that I believe are worth my money.

At the same time, I think that certain types of ads, particularly the invasive ones (pop-ups, phone solicitations, etc.) are NOT cool. In America today there are advertisements EVERYWHERE. I believe Americans coined the phrase "mindshare" with respect to products like Coke or Kleenex becoming household names for "soft-drink" and "tissue" -- what does that say about our mindset?

We have ads on busses, fronts/backs/inside cabs, and taco bell cups. I pay $7.50 to see a movie and get to see 15 minutes worth of ads before previews, not to mention the ads and "quiz games" (i.e. more ads) that cycle before they even roll the film.

I am fearful of what this country is becoming, especially in the hands of media giants such as Time-Warner and Viacom. My fear is really based around the fact that I feel this is still a great place to live, and I don't want to have to feel like I need to go to another country to "stop the insanity". Ads are necessary for awareness, but look back 50 or 60 years -- advertisement was NOTHING back then like it is now, and people and companies got along just fine (other than the whole WW2 thing).

I think you're right here -- people for the most part are being treated like cattle and mindless zombies that can't think for themselves. Rather than selling a product based on its features, quality, and usefulness, marketing makes/breaks a product before it even exists, in some cases.

That's my $0.02, I'm done for now. I'm going to go back and enjoy my "Coke" and cry my tears into my "Kleenex".

06-30-2003, 12:31 PM	#7
mitch Recruit or Something Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4	For the most part I agree with dave. I'm a proponent of the free-market mentality -- those places with content worth viewing will get traffic, and if it's worth money to pay for that content, they'll pay according to the perceived value. I pay a small yearly or lifetime subscription fee to those sites that I believe are worth my money. At the same time, I think that certain types of ads, particularly the invasive ones (pop-ups, phone solicitations, etc.) are NOT cool. In America today there are advertisements EVERYWHERE. I believe Americans coined the phrase "mindshare" with respect to products like Coke or Kleenex becoming household names for "soft-drink" and "tissue" -- what does that say about our mindset? We have ads on busses, fronts/backs/inside cabs, and taco bell cups. I pay $7.50 to see a movie and get to see 15 minutes worth of ads before previews, not to mention the ads and "quiz games" (i.e. more ads) that cycle before they even roll the film. I am fearful of what this country is becoming, especially in the hands of media giants such as Time-Warner and Viacom. My fear is really based around the fact that I feel this is still a great place to live, and I don't want to have to feel like I need to go to another country to "stop the insanity". Ads are necessary for awareness, but look back 50 or 60 years -- advertisement was NOTHING back then like it is now, and people and companies got along just fine (other than the whole WW2 thing). I think you're right here -- people for the most part are being treated like cattle and mindless zombies that can't think for themselves. Rather than selling a product based on its features, quality, and usefulness, marketing makes/breaks a product before it even exists, in some cases. That's my $0.02, I'm done for now. I'm going to go back and enjoy my "Coke" and cry my tears into my "Kleenex".