In the words of Monty Python... SPAM SPAM SPAM!
18
Apr07
Topics:Rants
The other day I went out and bought myself a DVD-HDD device. Half the purpose of buying this was so I could record things (since VCRs are now obsolete as this will be next month) on TV. The other benefit of the device was so I could fast forward through adverts and other crap. So you can imagine my dismay when my girlfriend who's in the marketing industry beats me up if I even think of using the fast forward button when adverts are on. Television advertising I can understand. It pays for the programs and movies I enjoy watching from time to time. All I ask with these ads is that there are fewer of them, less often and the ads they do show at least be interesting and not show the same add everyday for 3 years running.These days when one drives along a highway or byway in South Africa, one will notice a lot of billboards. When they first started popping up (10 years ago + change), it use to annoy me cause it was ruining a perfectly good city scape where they could plant trees and other de stressing things. I've come to terms with having these around since they do seem to be amusing when stuck in traffic. My gripe with them is that the marketing companies should change them more frequently. As a consumer I say Entertain me! Promote your product as something new. KEEP your advertising new and fresh. This I can still almost understand, it helps keep our taxes down (I'm assuming or am I just fooling myself?) by having advertisers sponsor upkeep of roads and lighting.
Email spam. Telemarketing. Snail Mail Spam. I mean really! WHO THROWS A SHOE!? These are all forms of advertising that is more intrusive to my personal life than I really need it to be. Its bad enough its thrown at me when I drive down the road, its shoved in my face when I watch TV. When it enters my home and does nothing but irritate me, then I start to wonder. What the hell is the point of this stuff. Who reads it? WHO is it that keeps these stupid idiots in business? I think if I find the idiot who enjoys reading the stories the porno-spam mail and clicking links to keep them coming should be shot. The people who respond to random (note, random - not the ones you have given consent to call you) phone calls without ripping someone's head off and serving it to starving children in somalia(no, I don't care if they have to make a living - I'm selfish when it comes to my privacy). Snail Mail Spam. OMG. Paper. Not only do they have to annoy me, but they have to kill innocent tree (yes, I hug trees in my spare time). They have to make me fill waste dumps.
I read an article once on how someone was getting back at these banks and other "Fill in the app form and mail it to us! We cover postage!"places. Tear up the application form. Seal it in their self addressed envelope and make a post man's day. Keep them in business. Annoy the idiots who are trying to suck more money out of you than is absolutely necessary. And make them pay for more money than is worth to acquire you as a customer.
I always attempt to keep telemarketers on the phone for a minimum of 30 minutes. Since I did a bit of work at the call centres, I have an idea of what it costs these organisations to keep this idiot talking to me. And its also fun building up their hope only to tell them their competition's product is so much better and I've got three of each from everyone but them.
BUT! Enough about that... The main thing that's got my knickers in a knot is the fact that I'm now getting spam on my thoughts postings. I know its not a new thing for a lot of websites. But this is a new thing for me considering that I've had my site live for less then a week. (yes, it was unofficially up and I was playing with google since October?) So now I have to implement an anti-spam bot mechanism for my comments. Don't worry, I won't make you sign-up to have your say. And no, I won't filter comments, I don't have time. *blech* I'll pretend to be smart later.
This picture sums up how I feel about the whole lot.
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Current Comments // 09
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You and your girlfriend should watch the lecture 'Piracy is Good!' from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Broadcasters annoying viewers with ads is out and hyperdistribution and ad skipping is a reality and you are not going to change viewers with bully tactics
Andre Odendaal //14:04 // 2007/04/18
Dear Andre. Marketing is a reality - build a bridge. If only one could fast forward when people speak too. Now that would be bliss.
Anja //16:04 // 2007/04/18
War and violence are a reality too, doesn't mean I have to accept it. But you misunderstand me, I'm not against marketing; I'm against interupting my viewing or my workflow. There already are mechanisms (see the lecture I mentioned, I gave it to Bergen) which don't interupt or distract from my viewing pleasure and broadcasts would do well to investigate using them. Marketing has breed a society that not only knows what it wants but wants it now, and what I want is to watch my program; not to be blasted in unsolicited spam. The marketing company that comes up with subtle, unobtrusive ads will set the trend for years to come.
Andre Odendaal //17:04 // 2007/04/18
Talk about a rant! I'm surprised I could focus my eyes long enough to read all the way through. Annabella & A.Odendaal die derde…I agree with you both in part, but think about it André… If a marketing company where to take a more subtle approach, they – along with their unobtrusive ads - would simply go unnoticed. Why market at all.
Char //12:04 // 2007/04/19
Indeed, why market at all. Word of mouth has been proven to be the most effective form of marketing, so why not tople the marketing empire that you seem to cling to so dearly and turn to evangelism and grow a community passionate about your product?
Andre Odendaal //15:04 // 2007/04/19
I can't help but be reminded of a blog post I read on Coding Horror that dealt with a similar'ish issue, except this one dealt specifically with web content. In the blog he makes reference to the movie Idiocracy, which I haven't seen but would love to see. I see its available for order from the UK, wonder if/when its going to be released here. Might prove to be an interesting look at whats discussed above, and perhaps even fuel the comment flame war too ;).
Jonathan //15:04 // 2007/04/19
Andre, so you bought your vehicle based on something your uncle's aunt's nephew said? You buy your toothpaste because your granny commented on how well it cleans? Stop talking crap. You are not even aware of how much you are influenced by marketing. Whether it be in your face or subliminal. Your attitude is similar to that of a Jehovah's witness. i.e Narrow minded. And with that I'm closing off my end of the comments here before I blow a gasket and go bomb BBD.
Anja //08:04 // 2007/04/20
It seems I'm not alone in the world of 'I don't like unsolicited marketing'. In yesterday's ItWeb the following article was posted dealing with spam issues. Spam was the main reason I decided to push this post online.
Bergen Larsen //11:04 // 2007/04/20
Ahoy there.Dunno about you... but I buy toothpaste cos it's good for my teeth, not cos I've been spammed with colgate smile adds on TV, most people buy cars based on personal preference and taste, not based on how cool the latest VW/etc advert is on TV, give everyone a little credit ;)The only kind of SPAM I like is the kind that comes in a Can. The way I see it advertising and Marketing on TV is already a load of bollocks because part of the agreement with the government regarding tv Licensing over the fact that we have to pay is that supposedly we would get Advert free entertainment, however... obviously the Government changed the idea on that based on how much Marketing and Advertising companies pay them to advertise and try to subliminally control the masses ;-)Marketing and Advertising is purely a money based industry, feeding off a demand/need that companies have in order to get their new ideas onto the Market, however... IMHO, after the 3rd time you've seen a new advert it should be canned, anything after that is tantamount to brainwashing/abuse :PI mean after all, are you trying to tell us that if we never see an advert, or never see advertising on TV or other mediums, we would never buy anything? So you buy your products based on how cool last nights adverts were? Yea right... ;-)Anyways, done stirring the pot time to run fast :P
Scott //11:04 // 2007/04/20