When I was a little boy, I have very clear memories of going to my grandparents house and they had this terrifying E.T. figurine. As an adult, I wish I had it, but it was creepy as hell. It’s arms moved, its finger lit up, and I think even its chest did. Fingers moved too. Real fear inducing stuff for a 7 year old. Unclear which came first, but it was probably around that time, a good 10 years after the release, that I saw the movie.
And I CLEARLY remember being terrified. The first time E.T. showed up on scene, sneaking around in the woods, terrifying Eliot in that fog covered shed in the backyard, and then that completely unnatural scream he makes along with his pug noise and grunting.
And then, ET hands Elliot those Reese’s Pieces… and I am hooked.
Not to the movie. I was hooked to that from the start. I am talking about the candy. I crave them now. They portrayed the candy so well in the movie. The crinkled bag Eliot is holding, the sound of the crunching of the candy, the texture and the iconic look of them in weird alien hands. And little known fact, apparently Mars Candy turned down the opportunity to feature M&Ms in the movie because they thought it was too “out there”, so Hershey jumped at the opportunity and agreed to let them put it in the movie.
I digress (as usual). This was the product placement of geniuses.
Advertising F#*king works
It was the only candy I ever wanted to eat ever again. When I went to a movie, I wanted Reese’s pieces. When I see them, I am transported back, nostalgically to my childhood.
And then Marshaw Lynch trolls the NFL with a press conference munching on Skittles. Hell yes, I will have some of those too. I didn’t even know they could crunch that way.
We Are All Suckers For Advertising
I work in the world of marketing, so I am in it. And I am painfully aware of when I am being marketed to. Yet, I don’t just fall for it, I fall even harder for it because I look at the ad and think to myself, “hell yes that’s good marketing, buy me some of that insurance”.
“Why yes, WestJet Airlines, that is a wholesome as s#*t advert, I would love to fly you!”
Justify Social Status with the Quality Argument
Here is another great bit. When my son was 6 year old, he came home from school one day and says, I want Nike’s. Why does he want Nike’s? Because everyone in his class has them and not even realizing it, he probably thinks that by owning Nike’s, he “fits in”. He is 11 now and I just had the same conversation with him the other night, except his taste has expanded and now he wants the top of the line Nike’s that you can customize!
So what am I doing about it?
Well, aside from my principals and personal values that an 11 year old boy does not need super custom shoes for $150, I am for sure buying him Nike’s. He happens to need new shoes anyway, and my dumb a$$ is just as much a sucker for branding as the next guy. I think they make a quality shoe, and more quality than others, which is why all my running shoes are Nike. And on top of that, I remember when Air Jordan’s came out. And all I wanted were my Jordan’s, because “I would be like Mike”.
And my parents got them for me, despite the price, and despite the fact that I sucked at basketball. I am positive it wasn’t so easy for them to pay for, but they got them.
Spoiled Rotten or a Sucker for Advertising?
They say I wasn’t, but I recall never lacking anything I wanted as a child. Perhaps from their perspective I never wanted much, but I felt I never lacked anything.
After watching Home Alone: Lost in New York, I got a talk boy.
And I am sure I could recall dozens and dozens of other examples of crap I needed, because I saw it on TV or in a movie and was convinced it would make my life better. Or better yet, make me happy.
Because advertising f#*king works!
Advertising is Happiness
In Don Draper’s words, advertising is happiness
“Advertising is based on one thing. Happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness It’s the smell of a new car. It’s freedom from fear. It’s a billboard from the side of a road that screams with reassurance, that whatever you are doing, it’s ok. You are ok.”
Perception Beats Logic
They say Rock beats scissors, and Scissors beat paper, but perception beats logic.
No, they don’t but perception is that trump card.
Happiness is nothing more than a state of mind. It’s perception.
Is it real?
It doesn’t matter. You can’t argue perception and feelings.
Because the stories they tell us in their ad’s make us feel happy, and empowered. They open the doors for us to write our own stories and create those nostalgic memories that we will always have.
Like that time when my friend and I went to his fathers office at the Chicago Board of Trade. I had just gotten a Remote Control Watch and probably mimicked this exact commercial when we sat across the room, minding our own business and subsequently turning off the TV that all the traders were watching. After about 3 or 4 times, and unable to control our laughter any longer, we ran.
We were ballsy.
And if those are the feelings it elicits, the feelings of mischievous, power, curiosity, fun, excitement, then absolutely I want that in my life.
So my boy can have his Nike’s if that makes him happy, and eat some skittles while he is at it. And you know what, I think I am going to do exactly the same and have some Reese’s Pieces too.
Well done advertising. You won this round!
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