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Yes

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Advertising is an insult to our intelligence in most respects. My positive answer to the question is more so my thoughts on the general publics opinion. For me personally I already expect advertising to be a " come on " for the most part. There is a car commercial that claims that if they can't beat a new car deal in the state they will just give to you. I rally doubt anyone ever gotten a free car from them, not do I believe it. If nothing else it makes me not even want to business with that particular company at all.

Some of the worst gimmicks are the 30 days free, no obligation,pay shipping only adverts. In this gimmick the company gets a credit card number and it's left to the consumer to cancel the service in 30 days if they don't want it. These companies bank on the fact that most people are bad record keepers, too busy, forgetful etc.

The other thing I would warn against is buying a product solely because it advertises a mail in rebate. This goes further than the busy American remembering to mail it in. These rebates require the receipt, the bar code from the item's box ( which usually is thrown away), and a form to be filled out and mailed. Many times the company providing the rebate will tie things up in red tape and claim the form was not filled out correctly, or the bar code was not included. Basically hoping the consumer will just forget the whole thing deeming it too troublesome to pursue for the usually small amount of money. To companies however if hundreds of thousands of advertised rebates at $10 - $50 a pop are not paid out, that's big money.

Some commercials have gone to being funny and memorable, those are the classics, the one's that don't insult your intelligence and leave you laughing. I may or may not use those products because of that alone. Basically if we get used to a certain type of product and we like it, I don't believe any amount of advertising will change our opinions.

I say we are jaded because we have gotten used to the way advertising is done. The most effective advertising is when companies through other means of getting to us, using the kids. commercials about toys, video games, fashions, food, all huge markets. The kids have not had time to grow cynical, they just see something that catches their eye and then make a request through the parents and the rest is history.

Learn more about this author, Rob Purifoy.
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