Are your purchases influenced by commercials? (years, single, restaurant, family)
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I only see commercials when we are traveling as we only have Netflix and a free streaming service at home. So here in SoCal, we are just appalled at all the commercials at our rental. To distract ourselves, we count them: usually about 13 commercials, then 5 minutes of content. It's unbelievable.
But it led me to wonder just how much people buy from commercials. Obviously it works, or there wouldn't be all this money spent on it. I thought long and hard about our purchases, and I honestly can't think of a single thing we bought in our lives due to a commercial. But we must be unusual.
We just mute them and even look at something else, they are so annoying. In fact, I am so turned off by commercials, I won't buy that product. And the pharm products! Good grief, are you going to diagnose yourself, pick your own meds? Most of the ad time is spent on side effects!
Since retirement age people are new to "influencers", I thought our take on commercials might be unique.
I don't see commercials on TV since I only do streaming, no cable or OTA. But once in a while I'll buy something because of an ad that pops up for example on Facebook. Most recently I bought a graphic t-shirt after seeing a Facebook ad for it.
No TV here I'm watching free channels on Tubi freevee and Pluto.
I'll admit we used to enjoy those RonCo commercials vegamatic and such. Mom liked the idea of the "Salad Shooter" but had a mandolin atm.
Never ate it Applebee's, Outback, or many chain restaurants. There was a chain "Biscuits Cafe" which didn't advertise except for word of mouth. Packed every day. (Then for some reason some changed to Kitchen Table Cafe)
Usually the sugar and spices I bought were the same ones my mother bought not really too much changed really in the family passing down.
My worst habit is if I have gone out gambling and won a lot I usually then end up on Amazon and what weird fancy hits me and buy it...
I can honestly say no or it influences me NOT to buy whatever it is. The harder they advertise the more likely I am to consider another option. There's a reason some company spends big bucks on ads. Their product isn't superior or unique enough to sell on its own merits. Many ads are easy to ignore because of where I live (fast food, restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) and for that geographic filter I'm eternally grateful. The buying opportunities simply don't exist. Wonder of wonders, we survive anyway.
I hardly ever see a commercial about anything I want/need to buy. If I need something I do my own research about it and make my own decision. Two of my pet peeves include the current agonizingly illiterate/tone deaf Burger King commercials and air fresheners; Febreze and the like. Not only do they saturate the air everyone has to breathe with chemical stinks, they saturate the air waves with the same ads every 3-5 minutes 24/7/365. I mean I know many consumers have the attention span of a gnat and the buying smarts of a mongoose, but enough is enough! That "family" company something or other Johnson just earned my "most premature obnoxious seasonal ad of the year". Holiday scent ads showed up right after Labor Day. The blab-off button on my remote has got to be the best invention since sliced bread.
Once in a blue moon will I see an ad introducing some brand new product that intrigues me. Enough to do additional research and discover the all-important fine print.
One of the better things about being of retirement age is having more years' experience at ignoring advertising. OTOH, I've never felt the urge to buy many consumer products others feel they can't live without. That hasn't changed much over the years so age had little to do with it.
Last edited by Parnassia; 10-04-2023 at 03:39 PM..
I can honestly say no or they influence me NOT to buy whatever it is. The harder they advertise the more likely I am to consider another option. Products that don't seem to advertise don't need to...their merit sells them. Many ads are easy to ignore because of where I live (fast food, restaurants, grocery stores, etc). The buying opportunities simply don't exist. Wonder of wonders, we survive anyway.
I hardly ever see a commercial about anything I want/need to buy. If I need something I do my own research about it and make my own decision. One of my pet peeves is air fresheners; Febreze and the like. Not only do they saturate the air everyone has to breathe with chemical stinks, they saturate the air waves with the same ads every 3-5 minutes 24/7/365. I mean I know many consumers have the attention span of a gnat and the buying smarts of a mongoose, but really! That "family" company something or other Johnson just earned my "most premature obnoxious seasonal ad of the year". Holiday scent ads showed up right after Labor Day. The blab-off button on my remote has got to be the best invention since sliced bread.
Once in a blue moon will I see an ad introducing some brand new product that intrigues me. Enough to do any additional research and discover the all-important fine print.
Yup. How many ads are based on anxiety and fear? Fear that you smell bad, that your laundry isn't fresh enough, that your hair isn't silky enough...it's all so stupid.
And as soon as I see ANY ad, whether it comes in email or elsewhere, that says, "HURRY!" or "LIMITED TIME ONLY!" to try to rush me into buying something, I immediately resolve that I don't need that. It irks me.
I only see commercials when we are traveling as we only have Netflix and a free streaming service at home. So here in SoCal, we are just appalled at all the commercials at our rental. To distract ourselves, we count them: usually about 13 commercials, then 5 minutes of content. It's unbelievable.
...
What have you bought because "you saw it on TV"?
The only thing I ever wanted was the new Bassomatic 76.
I never buy from commercials. I have bought from infomercials twice.
I still use my 20-year-old Ronco knives. One year everyone got Sham-Wow for Christmas.
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