Marketing; Has it gone to far?

[critterkiller]

So i'm currently studying classical contitionaling, within psychology and i found a few examples on what different companies acctually do to campain there product. McDonald founding the olympics to make customers feeling that they can reach the same hight as a olympic athlete. My quesition is: has this recearch gone to far? do you think that the big companies has gone to deep into a human mind in order to market there produtcs. Like when you go into a food store, you think that you choose what you want to eat. but many times, marketing is the reason why you choose that brand or a different type of consumtion than a competetor of said product.

In general you think that you are in control of what you buy. But massive companies have investet billions in research and development in this field.
Ethicly i mean that this is wrong, but i am afraid that company greed overweights my tiny voice.

I now invite you to respond how you feel. Do you find it wrong or are you okay with this? Please share a thought or two on this subject.
I would love to perhaps create a discussion.

[Gheld]

If McDonalds providing sponsorship money towards the Olympics makes you think eating McDonalds will turn you into an olympic athelete you should be removed from society, for that level of stupidity is potentially fatal to those around you.

[Lenonis]

In general you think that you are in control of what you buy.

You are still in control of what you buy until someone comes up with a gun to your head and changes that.

Marketing is just seeking to influence your behavior. It is only as effective as the target lets it be.

Companies can do all the research they want -- until they actually do something that eliminates choice, there is nothing unethical about it. (Unless they are invading privacy or violating do not call laws, etc.)

[Dezerte]

Yes, it's exploitative. The PR industry utilizes many "loopholes" in our brain to sell their product, which nobody is immune to no matter how proud you are.

[Masark]

Marketing is just seeking to influence your behavior. It is only as effective as the target lets it be.

You severely underestimate the effects of framing and inundation. "Let" isn't a consideration. The idea of "not letting" something happen depends on you even being aware of it happening in the first place.

[Deleted]

I feel that fishy marketing is just another display of Darwinism. I'm glad companies can make a living of weak-minded people, good for them!

[Lenonis]

You severely underestimate the effects of framing and inundation. "Let" isn't a consideration. The idea of "not letting" something happen depends on you even being aware of it happening in the first place.

No, I'm aware. But there is still choice.

Do I need to take a trip to the bahamas? Absolutely not. Do I want to after seeing a commercial and getting a price cut on a trip? Sure. Is that immoral? No. Because I can still say no.

I'm assuming we aren't talking about things like marketing cigarettes to kids or having alcohol ads in AA meetings. Or claiming that McDonalds will cure cancer or other blatantly illegal ads.

I really don't know how anyone can claim that run of the mill marketing is immoral. How does trying to give consumers what they want, or what they think they want, immoral again exactly?

[Gheld]

Honestly, 15 years ago, if you went to McDonalds, you would get a sandwich wrapper full of delicious every single time. Now a'days you get dried out warming tray patties, condiments dripping out of one side of the burger with none on the other side, and cheese that's cold and unmelted due to the disgusting dried-ass burger patty.

So they must be putting something in the koolaid if people are still willing to pay for that shit.

[Jackmoves]

Well, it depends, but I love great commercials. The Volvo Trucks one is a recent that I really liked. Nothing short of brilliant, 58 million views and very little money spent on their part as far as getting it out there. Just uploaded on youtube as far as I know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10

Sony's bouncy ball commercial is probably my favorite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NymcQJjPCs

[Lenonis]

So they must be putting something in the koolaid if people are still willing to pay for that shit.

Price and convenience.

[Deleted]

Honestly, 15 years ago, if you went to McDonalds, you would get a sandwich wrapper full of delicious every single time. Now a'days you get dried out warming tray patties, condiments dripping out of one side of the burger with none on the other side, and cheese that's cold and unmelted due to the disgusting dried-ass burger patty.

So they must be putting something in the koolaid if people are still willing to pay for that shit.

Damn son, you must have a PhD in food science.

[Gheld]

Price and convenience.

That's crap.

For half the cost of a meal at McDonalds I could cook a fucking gourmet meal at home. And I don't see what's so convenient about shitty dried out burger patties.

It's more like

"People don't know how to fucking cook a proper meal anymore. So they use McDonalds as a crutch."

"DERP IN THIS BUSY WORLD I DON'T HAVE 30 MINUTES TO COOK A DECENT MEAL FOR MY FAMILY, BUT I HAVE 15 MINUTES TO DRIVE TO MCDONALDS, 2 MINUTES TO WAIT FOR THE ORDER AND 15 MINUTES TO DRIVE BACK HOME WITH HAPPY MEALS. WHAT'S MATH LOL?"


EDIT:

Damn son, you must have a PhD in food science.

Sadly I work in the food industry. (No, not burger flipping). So I know all of its dirty little secrets. They pay me well... But I'm contributing to the shitification of food. So it's really quite depressing.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

That's crap.

For half the cost of a meal at McDonalds I could cook a fucking gourmet meal at home. And I don't see what's so convenient about shitty dried out burger patties.

It's more like

"People don't know how to fucking cook a proper meal anymore. So they use McDonalds as a crutch."

"DERP IN THIS BUSY WORLD I DON'T HAVE 30 MINUTES TO COOK A DECENT MEAL FOR MY FAMILY, BUT I HAVE 15 MINUTES TO DRIVE TO MCDONALDS, 2 MINUTES TO WAIT FOR THE ORDER AND 15 MINUTES TO DRIVE BACK HOME WITH HAPPY MEALS. WHAT'S MATH LOL?"

You love being insulting to opposing arguments don't you.

[Tradewind]

There is no need to get upset.

[Deleted]

Sadly I work in the food industry. (No, not burger flipping). So I know all of its dirty little secrets. They pay me well... But I'm contributing to the shitification of food. So it's really quite depressing.

Companies are made to harvest money, not to make the world a greater place.

[Gheld]

You love being insulting to opposing arguments don't you.

If my assholery can prevent just 1 person from buying into the bullshit that they are somehow saving themselves time to go to a restaurant, that's enough.... that's enough...

EDIT: Seriously though. On one hand, you have people spending 5-10 times as much money as they need to on food by going to restaurants constantly, and on the other hand you have them complaining about these super addictive unhealthy foods and marketing campaigns.

You vote with your wallet people. And you voted for the world's most technologically advanced cheeseburger. If you made your own damn burger and spent the money you saved on astronomy we'd probably already be on mars.

[critterkiller]

You are still in control of what you buy until someone comes up with a gun to your head and changes that.

Marketing is just seeking to influence your behavior. It is only as effective as the target lets it be.

Companies can do all the research they want -- until they actually do something that eliminates choice, there is nothing unethical about it. (Unless they are invading privacy or violating do not call laws, etc.)

You might not see it but in your mind they have planted several codes where you as a consumer will choose their brand over another or that something you never needed in the first place is bought simply because they created a need for it in your mind

[Masark]

"DERP IN THIS BUSY WORLD I DON'T HAVE 30 MINUTES TO COOK A DECENT MEAL FOR MY FAMILY, BUT I HAVE 15 MINUTES TO DRIVE TO MCDONALDS, 2 MINUTES TO WAIT FOR THE ORDER AND 15 MINUTES TO DRIVE BACK HOME WITH HAPPY MEALS. WHAT'S MATH LOL?"

In the USA, the McD's is across the street, whereas the supermarket is across the town.

It's called a food desert.

Even here in Canada, eating healthy will hike your food bill by a good $550/year.

[Ethes]

Not entirely sure what you're saying.. Do you think it's not okay because it's MacDonalds?

Generally I think whatever marketing technique is fine, unless it literally forces you to buy something. If you're not in control of your own behavior then you deserve to buy the shit they're trying to sell you.

[Gheld]

In the USA, the McD's is across the street, whereas the supermarket is across the town.

It's called a food desert.

Even here in Canada, eating healthy will hike your food bill by a good $550/year.

As far as the Food Desert thing goes, there's plenty of foods that you can buy well in advance of using. It's not like you go to the supermarket every single time you need to cook something. I mean, I hate shopping in December so much, that I went out last week and bought enough ingredients to last me until January. So a few small stops here and there for produce and milk but other than that I have everything I need.

And that extra 550 a year is eating healthy at home vs. eating unhealthy at home. Eating healthy at home is still cheaper than eating the horseshit that McDonalds sells.