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“The Persuaders” – 20 December 2006

I watched Frontline’s “The Persuaders” on PBS last night. Here is the description in the program listings:

“Explores how the cultures of marketing and advertising have come to influence not only what Americans buy, but also how they view themselves and the world around them.”

“The Persuaders” reminded me of a book I read in the 1950’s: Vance Packard’s “The Hidden Persuaders” about the advertising industry. Unfortunately, this industry is becoming much more intrusive and invasive as they profile people so they can identify potential customers and voters.
Mentioned by name and shown in this program is a company which keeps computerized information on just about every American – what car they drive, where they shop, what they buy, etc.

Also mentioned in “The Persuaders” was the way words are changed in order to sell ideas that may not be popular with the public. Examples of such manipulative language changes: “global warming” to global “climate change”; “estate tax” to “death tax”; “tax cuts” to “tax relief”; and “war on Iraq” to “war on terror.”

I don’t remember if neuromarketing was mentioned; but, in my opinion, using brain-imaging technology – considered a “hot new tool” by marketers – is just going too far. Where will all of this end?
 

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