Put emotion aside, and compare marketing
promises with reality.
THE PROMISE: “Improve Your Quality of Life”
It is natural to want a better life. Advertisers bombard us with messages that all of our desires
REALITY CHECK:
As our number of possessions increases, our quality of life can actually decrease. Additional
time and money are needed to care for more of these things. Stress
levels rise because of pressure from debt, and there is less time for
family and friends.
THE PROMISE: “Gain Status and Prestige”
Few people will admit that they make purchases
to impress others. However, “When people shop, a very
important aspect of their behavior is that they are competing with
friends, neighbors, coworkers and relatives.” For this reason, ads often
show products being enjoyed by successful, affluent people. The message
such ads send to consumers is: “This can be you!”
REALITY CHECK:
Defining our self-worth through comparison with
others creates a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction. When one level
of aspiration is achieved, the next level immediately becomes desirable.
THE PROMISE: “Define Your Identity”
Marketers work to associate product brands
How do you see yourself, and how do you want
others to see you? As stylish? As athletic? No matter what image you
want, marketing promises that if you simply buy the right brand, you can
adopt the brand’s identity as part of your own.
REALITY CHECK
No product purchase can change who we really are.
