So, I watched a video that could be disturbing to some, but it was eyeopening to me. Marketers are geniuses at their craft in making consumers do as they want them to do. For instance, in the video, the professor discussed a brand of wheat cereal that was originally marketed as a square, but when marketers began advertising the exact same square shaped food as diamonds, sales increased.
Now, most are aware of some of the harsh conditions animals are subjected to when they are bred for consumption. Chickens are inhumanely slaughtered, cows are often overfed and beefed up on steroids, and pigs are placed in cages, not even big enough for them to move in.
With these harsh conditions, comes diseases. But, do we think about these things when we shop? I know that when I go to Walmart to pick up a back of boneless, skinless chicken breast, I’m not thinking about how the chicken was treated before he made it to the bag. Kinda harsh, but I mean, how many of us think this way?
The advertising displayed in this video was incredible, not for the animals of course, but to achieve the goals of the advertisers. For instance, the picture of the pig feeding its piglets in rather harsh conditions. Advertisers took this picture and put large text over the harsh part to show consumers that their is “progression” but, the harsh reality is directly under the text. The antics and mistreatment is right in our faces and we seem to overlook it, or just not care completely.
Advertising and persuasion is everything. Yes, I do believe that many of the tactics of advertisers are unethical, but these people are looking for a paycheck just like the next guy. They have a way of making us forget about the bigger picture and just about the consumption of the food. Is there much we can do about it?
Stanzza Patterson 