Having been in Canada for more than 5 months I thought I had a fair idea of the extent of the English language. Well, as it seems there still are words that I have not heard of before.
'Noseblind' is one of the words I came across, while being bombarded by TV-commercials. Not that it is easy to avoid. Not at all. Unlike in the Netherlands where commercials have a far smaller share than the actual program one is watching, they are more on an even foot over here. After 8 minutes, more or less, of watching the actual program, 4 minutes of commercials are poured out over the viewers. And it gets even worse during prime-time. Pretty annoying. It would be a bit more bearable when commercials would be about stuff that would potentially enrich ones life, or at least would arouse the interest of the viewer. Or when the commercial itself would create a smile on ones face, irrespective of the product advertised. It does not. No difference with the Netherlands here. As
it seemed, being 'noseblind' is something that has to be avoided at all cost according to the advertisement. And of course, the advertiser did have the product to counter any negative outcomes of being 'nose blind'. I almost fell over by the sheer ingenuity of the marketing boys and girls. Convincing someone that there is a problem whereas the person in question does not have the slightest idea of the existence of the problem sec. Brilliant. And I immediately saw the potential of this marketing strategy.
'Noseblind' is one of the words I came across, while being bombarded by TV-commercials. Not that it is easy to avoid. Not at all. Unlike in the Netherlands where commercials have a far smaller share than the actual program one is watching, they are more on an even foot over here. After 8 minutes, more or less, of watching the actual program, 4 minutes of commercials are poured out over the viewers. And it gets even worse during prime-time. Pretty annoying. It would be a bit more bearable when commercials would be about stuff that would potentially enrich ones life, or at least would arouse the interest of the viewer. Or when the commercial itself would create a smile on ones face, irrespective of the product advertised. It does not. No difference with the Netherlands here. As it seemed, being 'noseblind' is something that has to be avoided at all cost according to the advertisement. And of course, the advertiser did have the product to counter any negative outcomes of being 'nose blind'. I almost fell over by the sheer ingenuity of the marketing boys and girls. Convincing someone that there is a problem whereas the person in question does not have the slightest idea of the existence of the problem sec. Brilliant. And I immediately saw the potential of this marketing strategy.
What about bombarding the public with the suggestion that they will have a huge problem because their shoe-laces are not tied properly. Imagine yourself stumbling over them and falling head first into oncoming traffic. Not nice at all. However, I would be
there to come to the rescue with the ultimate solution to this all consuming problem. The Versatile Loafer, or LV, as I would label my product would immediately annihilate the problem. A textbook example of a 'win-win' situation.
there to come to the rescue with the ultimate solution to this all consuming problem. The Versatile Loafer, or LV, as I would label my product would immediately annihilate the problem. A textbook example of a 'win-win' situation.
But seriously, to parrot the title of one of Phil Collins' records, how daft does one have to get to fall for the nonsense of marketeers? From Thomas Gray's poem 'Ode on a distant prospect of Eton College' we have learned that 'ignorance is bliss'. No need to worry about something you do not know is the main message.
There you have it. Rather than trying to talk people into something they do not have, and subsequently do not need a cure for, marketeers should focus on how to get people in a state of being dumbstruck, stupefied, dumbfounded, astounded, astonished, startled, jolted, amazed, blown away, flabbergasted, stunned or rendered speechless. Hence, a state of being totally ignorant.
How blissful would that be?...
No comments:
Post a Comment