While browsing over the telemarketing thread, I got to thinking about the disturbing (and seemingly exponentially growing) trend of what I call annoyvertising – that is advertisments that serve no purpose other than to infuriate the consumer into buying their products.
Used car dealerships have traditionally been the primary culprits of this practice, with screams of ZERO DOWN THIRTY NINE CENTS A MONTH and 2 point text that flashes on the screen briefly at the end of the commercial explaining well … umm I’m not sure what it explains; I really can’t read that fast. I think “approved credit” has something to do with it, though, and that counts me out.
Anyway it seems that this practice has been spreading as of late, and not just on cheesy local commercials either. Take, for example, that 1-800-CALL-ATT buffoon, the one with the telephone keypad t-shirt, dark hair, and an apparent amphetamine problem. Does this screaming maniac in any way make you want to use your service?
Another thing I really can’t stand is the practice of naming college bowl games and sporting stadiums after corporations. If all the people who are going to go to these games want to see the stadium named after an old ball player, and a coporation comes along and says nu-uh. We’re gonna pay a bunch of money and they’ll name it Bob’s Dung Transportation Arena. Doesn’t this reflect badly on Bob’s Dung Transporatation in the eyes of the public? Why would they continue to patronize this business after Bob defaced the name of their park? (Worst example of this : The Poulan/Weedeater Indepedence Bowl)
I guess my question really is, why does this type of advertising work? Do some people like being shouted at? Do we like to have our intelligence insulted by someone repeating the same thing 10 times over in the space of 30 seconds?