Mixed Signals: The Ad Made Me Do It

Last updated on: June 17, 2011 at 12:12 pm by Erin Straza

Mixed Signals: The Ad Made Me Do It 2011-06-17T12:12:35-06:00 Erin Straza

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mixed Signals is Erin Straza’s weekly musing about marketing miscellany in advertising, branding, and messaging.

I’m a sucker for fancy packaging. Add witty messaging to that, and I have a hard time resisting the pull to purchase. That’s because product messaging and packaging is designed to speak to our strongest desires and needs—things like love, acceptance, pleasure, and safety. A well-crafted message beckons the audience to try Product XYZ to get one or more of those needs met.

Most of us believe the messaging may warm our hearts and minds toward a product, but few believe that advertising influences us specifically. We all want to believe that we wouldn’t be manipulated by messaging. But really, would companies spend all that money if it didn’t make a dent on consumer behavior? As consumers, we must come to grips with the influence of advertising upon our thought processes and purchase decisions.

Research has revealed how the brain responds when people view advertising. In an NPR report, Maya Cueva explains what she learned from Ben Hayden, a neuroscientist who studies decision-making.

“You can literally witness this battle going on,” says Hayden. He told [Cueva] about researchers at Caltech who scanned the brains of people on diets while offering them junk food. A certain region of the brain lit up when the dieters resisted junk food. Hayden says that self-control region is in a tug of war with the parts of the brain affected by ads. “When advertising comes into the picture, it kind of is the opposite of self-control,” Hayden says. “It encourages you to just go out and buy it, just do it.”

So it’s true: Advertising has a strong, subconscious influence. Perhaps instead of blaming our behaviors on the devil we can now say, “The ad made me do it.” But does that mean we have no power to override the messages that encourage us to indulge or shop or drink or collect?

Hayden disputes that notion, stating that when you think critically about how ads work, you “create new patterns in [your] brain that strengthen the self-control regions.” Sounds a lot like Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

There’s no way to avoid the intake of the world’s messaging in regard to products, values, and priorities without completely disengaging and becoming an eremite. But each time we take those messages and run them through the filter of God’s Word, we strengthen our brain to stand firm in what is really true.

After all that, we may still choose to purchase, but the choice is still ours to bear.

Asides

mixed signals

Previous Post

June 17, 2011

Elsewhere: Lebron, E3, Duke Nukem, evolutionary psychology, etc.

Next Post

June 20, 2011 Disney Princesses: My Daughter Deserves Better

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Asides Elsewhere Featured Film Games General Culture Headline Literature Music Of the Moment Podcast Politics RetroPost Sports Technology Television Uncategorized Viral

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz