Most have been tricked!

[arebelspy]

I'm going to say yes, but not very much.   

I'm at the age where no one is interested in selling to me (except hearing aids).   

So while I'm probably not immune from car ads, I'm probably at very low risk of infection.    I'll live another 25 years or so, an I have more disposable income than most 20-something hipsters, but I'm not in the desired age-demographic.   As far as most advertisers are concerned, I've been dead for several years.   It's like I'm vaccinated.   

I'll likely never buy another new vehicle as they simply make no economic sense.    I'm at a point where I can fix existing cars or buy used with cash on hand.

Oh, there's still plenty of people who want to sell to you.  You may not be in the target demographic for a new BMW (though - IIRC - most corvette buyers are in their 50s and 60s), but plenty of people want to sell to older folks.

They are often the target for scams.

[ChrisLansing]

I'm going to say yes, but not very much.   

I'm at the age where no one is interested in selling to me (except hearing aids).   

So while I'm probably not immune from car ads, I'm probably at very low risk of infection.    I'll live another 25 years or so, an I have more disposable income than most 20-something hipsters, but I'm not in the desired age-demographic.   As far as most advertisers are concerned, I've been dead for several years.   It's like I'm vaccinated.   

I'll likely never buy another new vehicle as they simply make no economic sense.    I'm at a point where I can fix existing cars or buy used with cash on hand.

Oh, there's still plenty of people who want to sell to you.  You may not be in the target demographic for a new BMW (though - IIRC - most corvette buyers are in their 50s and 60s), but plenty of people want to sell to older folks.

They are often the target for scams.

I'm sure that's true, but it often doesn't seem to be.      I don't get most cultural references in commercials nor do I know who the "celebrities" are who are peddling the products.    But that was true when I was younger, as I've been on the "low information diet" for decades.   

[Jamesqf]

Also, I'd absolutely look for graham crackers in the cookie aisle, not in the crackers. They would just be weird.

Why?  It says "crackers" on the box...

[Albert]

Product placement in a supermarket is a "science" in itself. Haven't you noticed that to get to the most basic products (bread, milk etc) everyone buys you have to walk past pretty much everything else? And that's just the most obvious thing, there is so much else.

[elaine amj]

I'm weird - I love ads. Always have. And yes, I work in the marketing field.

Totally influenced by advertising and not afraid to admit it. I do however know how to look past the shiny surface and only consider myself somewhat brand-conscious. Completely happy with no-name stuff as long as it works as well.

I was shopping for socks on the weekend and discovered I have turned into a "sock snob" and will only buy brand names now. Super picky about quality (eek - I used to where whatever I could find cheapest!) and the last 2 sets of no-name socks were definitely not up to par.

[Ottawa]

Just an update - the poll ended with almost 9,000 votes.  The voting proportions didn't really change at all from that in the OP.  Here's the backfill story that generate this poll BTW: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/car-life/did-you-buy-your-last-car-because-of-the-dancing-hamster-ads/article18118264/

[dragoncar]

Also, I'd absolutely look for graham crackers in the cookie aisle, not in the crackers. They would just be weird.

Why?  It says "crackers" on the box...

Where the heck do they have separate aisles for "crackers" and "cookies?"  They are all "snacks" AFAIC

[arebelspy]

Also, I'd absolutely look for graham crackers in the cookie aisle, not in the crackers. They would just be weird.

Why?  It says "crackers" on the box...

Do you look for the goldfish crackers with the fish or the crackers?  It says both on the box.

Do you look for the peanut butter next to the peanuts, or the butter?  (Hint: usually neither.)

Sometimes you have to use some common sense.  ;)

[Shor]

Also, I'd absolutely look for graham crackers in the cookie aisle, not in the crackers. They would just be weird.

Why?  It says "crackers" on the box...

Do you look for the goldfish crackers with the fish or the crackers?  It says both on the box.

Do you look for the peanut butter next to the peanuts, or the butter?  (Hint: usually neither.)

Sometimes you have to use some common sense.  ;)

I used to use common sense. Then I needed to find soy sauce. It's not in the cooking aisle. It's not by the toppings. It's (in)conveniently off in the back-most aisle labeled 'Asian Foods'.. That made me a sad panda...


So, what qualifies for someone to not be influenced by marketing mechanics.
If you look at all options available for a bag of chips, determine the different sizes, weigh the cost against the amount against the "brand quality".. and then make a decision to pick one, or pick none, do you win? If you do your research and pick out a car that fits your needs, are you not making a conscious, purposeful purchase?

Or are people stuck on the concept that because marketing influences exist you simply can't win?

[Ottawa]

Or are people stuck on the concept that because marketing influences exist you simply can't win?

I don't think so - it's not an all or nothing thing.  Marketing influences do a number of things - both blatant and subtle (as many folks in this thread have alluded to).  You really just have to monitor your wants and needs.  I think that clever marketing is designed to introduce you to wants that you then allow to turn into needs. 

That is why there are MANY posts in these forums questioning specific needs, seeking case study help, practicing minimalism, downsizing, etc.  Folks are assessing themselves and publicly inviting scrutiny in their decision making.  Awesome!

The indoctrinated Mustachian consumer already has their guards up at ANY purchase they make.  They have had the veil of consumerist gratification lifted.  As such, any eye-candy should be appropriately glared at to determine if this thing is actually a need.

However, we still like to throw the odd facepunch at people (not always newbies - even the most hardcore frugalist can benefit from tweaking in areas where perhaps, they had a lower knowledge base) who display un-mustachian behaviour. 

[arebelspy]

Or are people stuck on the concept that because marketing influences exist you simply can't win?

Hell no!

But you should be conscious and aware of those influences and not tell yourself that you're immune.

[Cinder]

I felt most disgusted by advertising when my wife and I were hanging out with her nephew, who was about 5 or 6 at the time.  He was perfectly content, doing something and half paying attention to the tv.  During a commercial break from Sponge Bob, a commercial for 'GoGurt' came on.  He watched the commercial, and then after it finished he said 'I'm hungry', walked over to the fridge, got out a GoGurt yogurt stick/pack thing, and ate it. 

[dragoncar]

I felt most disgusted by advertising when my wife and I were hanging out with her nephew, who was about 5 or 6 at the time.  He was perfectly content, doing something and half paying attention to the tv.  During a commercial break from Sponge Bob, a commercial for 'GoGurt' came on.  He watched the commercial, and then after it finished he said 'I'm hungry', walked over to the fridge, got out a GoGurt yogurt stick/pack thing, and ate it.

Brb getting a gogurt

[Jamesqf]

Why?  It says "crackers" on the box...

Do you look for the goldfish crackers with the fish or the crackers?  It says both on the box.

I've never looked for goldfish crackers.  Don't even have goldfish :-)  Would you expect to find saltine crackers over by the salt, or oyster crackers in the seafood section?

If I haven't completely forgotten the rules of English grammar, in each case the first word is an adjective modifying the name cracker, no?

Sometimes you have to use some common sense.  ;)

Sure, common sense.  And if a thing is a cracker, common sense would say to put it with the other crackers.  Even aside from the name, graham crackers are much more like other kinds of crackers than they are like cookies, which they don't really resemble much at all.  So again, common sense.

[RetiredAt63]

My local IGA has the least sensible organization I have ever seen in a grocery store.  I can wander the aisles looking for one specific thing, there is no logic to it.  The end result is that it is my least favourite grocery store (I have a choice of 4, all decent), and I only go to it for things I can't get at the others, mostly store brands whose locations I know. Not what they intended, I am sure.

Sure, common sense.  And if a thing is a cracker, common sense would say to put it with the other crackers.  Even aside from the name, graham crackers are much more like other kinds of crackers than they are like cookies, which they don't really resemble much at all.  So again, common sense.

[MrsPete]

I'm going to say yes, but not very much.   

I'm at the age where no one is interested in selling to me (except hearing aids).   

So while I'm probably not immune from car ads, I'm probably at very low risk of infection.    I'll live another 25 years or so, an I have more disposable income than most 20-something hipsters, but I'm not in the desired age-demographic.   As far as most advertisers are concerned, I've been dead for several years.   It's like I'm vaccinated.   

I'll likely never buy another new vehicle as they simply make no economic sense.    I'm at a point where I can fix existing cars or buy used with cash on hand.

Oh, there's still plenty of people who want to sell to you.  You may not be in the target demographic for a new BMW (though - IIRC - most corvette buyers are in their 50s and 60s), but plenty of people want to sell to older folks.

They are often the target for scams.

Oh, yes!  In fact, we were talking about this at our recent family Easter cookout:  We've noticed that MANY commercials are using music that was popular when we were teenagers -- songs we knew and loved, but don't hear anymore on a regular basis -- to catch our attention.  IT WORKS!  Doesn't mean we'll end up buying the product, but these ads do command our attention.  A person from a different generation wouldn't notice this because he or she wouldn't have an emotional connection to those songs. 

I'll give an example:  There was a tax commercial -- the one with the old guy who's getting money poured over his head -- that plays Hall and Oat's "Reunited".  For someone of another generation, it's just, "Oh, yeah, the guy's getting a tax refund.  He's reunited with his money."  For someone from my generation, it's an immediate reminder of middle school Saturday nights at the skating rink, when they'd turn down the lights for "couples skate", and it was the highlight of the weekend.  That song has good connotations for my generation.  I didn't pay anyone to do my taxes, but every time that commercial came on, I did notice it, and it made me smile. 

Yeah, they're targeting those of us who are old enough to have some real cash stashed away. 

As for scams on the elderly, yeah, those are real.  My grandmother lived to be 100, and she was sharp as a tack -- 'til her last year.  But every so often, she'd save a letter and ask me, "Is this worthwhile?"  Almost always I'd say no, and I'd point out the flaws.  However, in all fairness, at a company where I used to work, the receptionist was always falling for similar scams, and she wasn't anywhere near old.  She was just stupid and borderline illiterate. 

[arebelspy]

If I haven't completely forgotten the rules of English grammar, in each case the first word is an adjective modifying the name cracker, no?

So naturally you'd look for peanut butter next to the butter then.  Of course. 

/eyeroll

Sure, common sense.  And if a thing is a cracker, common sense would say to put it with the other crackers. 

It's not a cracker.  At all.

Even aside from the name, graham crackers are much more like other kinds of crackers than they are like cookies, which they don't really resemble much at all.  So again, common sense.

Graham crackers are much more cookie-like than cracker-like to me.  Your "common sense" and mine don't agree.

Seems the grocery stores agree with me.

/shrug

[Elaine]

I think I am more influenced by advertising regarding smaller purchases than larger (never owned a car). I don't have cable, but between my subway rides (lots of poster ads) and just walking in manhattan I see plenty of ads. Sometimes I will willingly and consciously see something in an ad and try it. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. For example, I was looking for a good curly hair product for a long time, I had tried several brands without good results and then saw an ad for a brand called Miss Jessies, of the three women in the ad, two had hair types similar to mine. I went out, bought the product, and am very happy with both price and quality. Now I've been using it for years, and without the ad I wouldn't have known about it. In fact, the product is so superior and lasts so much longer, that you could argue that seeing that advertisement actually SAVED me money. Otherwise I'd still be on the hunt buying products that don't work and then throwing them away.

The insidiousness of advertising is so compelling because it's primary (modern) use isn't to make a potential customer aware of a new and improved product, it is to manufacture a desire for something that previously didn't exist, or to re-sell an old idea as if it is a new idea. I think that's where consumerism runs amok.

Of course, I grew up reading Zillions, so maybe that's just me.

[dragoncar]

It's not a cracker.  At all.

...

Graham crackers are much more cookie-like than cracker-like to me.  Your "common sense" and mine don't agree.

Do you have the same graham crackers as we do?  Ours look like this:



Crackers look like this:



Cookies look like this:



One of those things is different from the other.  Graham crackers are typically sweeter than saltines, but my sophisticated palate says it's closer to a cracker than a cookie. 

[arebelspy]

Are brownies closer to a cracker than a cookie then?

[arebelspy]

Poll created: http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/graham-crackers-closer-to-a-cookie-or-a-cracker

[warfreak2]

Are brownies closer to a cracker than a cookie then?

[dragoncar]

Are brownies closer to a cracker than a cookie then?

No, brownies look like this:



In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.  Bro, do you even bake?

[arebelspy]

In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.

That's what I'm getting at.  What is your criteria? 

Because "rectangular" puts graham crackers with cookies, but it also puts brownies there.

I think I'm weighting sweetness higher than you are.

[dragoncar]

In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.

That's what I'm getting at.  What is your criteria? 

Because "rectangular" puts graham crackers with cookies, but it also puts brownies there.

I think I'm weighting sweetness higher than you are.

Probably.  Also, I haven't had a graham cracker in a long time, but I do not remember them being particularly sweet.  I just looked at the nabisco web page and can see why maybe "kids nowadays" consider graham crackers to be a cookie:

HONEY GRAHAMS
CINNAMON GRAHAMS
CHOCOLATE GRAHAMS
GRAHAMFULS PEANUT BUTTER
GRAHAMFULS PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE
GRAHAMFULS BANANA VANILLA CREME
GRAHAMFULS STRAWBERRY YOGURT CREME
GRAHAMFULS S'MORES
HONEY TEDDY GRAHAMS
CINNAMON TEDDY GRAHAMS
CHOCOLATE TEDDY GRAHAMS
CHOCOLATEY CHIP TEDDY GRAHAMS
APPLE TEDDY GRAHAMS
STRAWBERRY BANANA TEDDY GRAHAMS

[matchewed]

In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.

That's what I'm getting at.  What is your criteria? 

Because "rectangular" puts graham crackers with cookies, but it also puts brownies there.

I think I'm weighting sweetness higher than you are.

Probably.  Also, I haven't had a graham cracker in a long time, but I do not remember them being particularly sweet.  I just looked at the nabisco web page and can see why maybe "kids nowadays" consider graham crackers to be a cookie:

HONEY GRAHAMS
CINNAMON GRAHAMS
CHOCOLATE GRAHAMS
GRAHAMFULS PEANUT BUTTER
GRAHAMFULS PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE
GRAHAMFULS BANANA VANILLA CREME
GRAHAMFULS STRAWBERRY YOGURT CREME
GRAHAMFULS S'MORES
HONEY TEDDY GRAHAMS
CINNAMON TEDDY GRAHAMS
CHOCOLATE TEDDY GRAHAMS
CHOCOLATEY CHIP TEDDY GRAHAMS
APPLE TEDDY GRAHAMS
STRAWBERRY BANANA TEDDY GRAHAMS

You take that onion on your belt and march right on out of here if you hate on my Teddy Grahams.

[Jamesqf]

In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.

That's what I'm getting at.  What is your criteria? 

Because "rectangular" puts graham crackers with cookies, but it also puts brownies there.

I think I'm weighting sweetness higher than you are.

Probably.  Also, I haven't had a graham cracker in a long time, but I do not remember them being particularly sweet.  I just looked at the nabisco web page and can see why maybe "kids nowadays" consider graham crackers to be a cookie:

Good point, and one that circles back to the original topic.  Because I don't get exposed to much advertising, I never knew that there were anything but plain graham crackers - and chocolate-covered ones, of course :-)  And I never thought of plain ones as being very sweet at all, about as sweet as a multi-grain bread.

[arebelspy]

Also, I haven't had a graham cracker in a long time, but I do not remember them being particularly sweet.

You need to go camping with some s'mores!

Also have you had cheesecake with graham cracker crust?

[Ottawa]

In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.

That's what I'm getting at.  What is your criteria? 

Because "rectangular" puts graham crackers with cookies, but it also puts brownies there.

I think I'm weighting sweetness higher than you are.

I agree arebelspy.  Shape is a terrible argument, dragoncar - you should fold that hand immediately!  I could bake cookies into any shape I like.  I could also bake crackers into any shape I like. (btw - 50% of crackers are actually round) with the same constituents.  It is the ingredients that allow us to sort in this case.  See my analysis in the poll questions :-)

[dragoncar]

In other words, they are closer in thickness, mass, and texture to a cookie, as well as sweetness.

That's what I'm getting at.  What is your criteria? 

Because "rectangular" puts graham crackers with cookies, but it also puts brownies there.

I think I'm weighting sweetness higher than you are.

I agree arebelspy.  Shape is a terrible argument, dragoncar - you should fold that hand immediately!  I could bake cookies into any shape I like.  I could also bake crackers into any shape I like. (btw - 50% of crackers are actually round) with the same constituents.  It is the ingredients that allow us to sort in this case.  See my analysis in the poll questions :-)

When did I seriously argue shape rectangular shape?  I did not.  edit: Graham crackers are wafer thin and crunchy.  I guess if you made one half an inch thick it might resemble a cookie -- no idea.  I guess texture is more important to me.

Also, I haven't had a graham cracker in a long time, but I do not remember them being particularly sweet.

You need to go camping with some s'mores!

Also have you had cheesecake with graham cracker crust?

I have had these, but would not expect to discern sweetness level of graham crackers over the chocolate, marshmallows, and cheesecake.  It's not like I just eat the crust by itself.

[arebelspy]

edit: Graham crackers are wafer thin and crunchy.  I guess if you made one half an inch thick it might resemble a cookie -- no idea.  I guess texture is more important to me.

There are lots of crunchy cookies.  The definition of cookie you gave in the other thread included "crisp".   While I prefer a soft cookie, they can be either way.  But I can't think of a sweet cracker.

[NewStachian]

I think about 95% of us are saying we're not affected by advertising. I bet 95% of us are also above-average drivers.

Just because your car wasn't on TV doesn't mean you haven't been affected by advertising. Maybe very few of us are explicitly influenced by advertising (like you saw something and immediately went to buy it), but most of us are influenced at a lower level we aren't even aware of. Advertising shapes how we view things. Our brains have received years of stimuli that was absorbed when we weren't even paying attention.

I'm going to say I've never been affected by the sun. I mainly stay indoors and wear sunblock when I go outside.

[dragoncar]

I think about 95% of us are saying we're not affected by advertising. I bet 95% of us are also above-average drivers.

That's just due to awesomeness bias.  It's a statistics thing, look it up.

[Zikoris]

I think about 95% of us are saying we're not affected by advertising. I bet 95% of us are also above-average drivers.

I'm too awful at driving to even get a license, or keep a car on the road! My boyfriend is slightly better - he managed to get a license, then drove into a bus. Though I guess the end result was the same.

I think that in general, if you don't really buy stuff as a philosophy, buy the cheapest option that meets your needs when you genuinely need something, and don't have exposure to most advertising, there's a limit to how much it can affect you.

[arebelspy]

Absolutely, you can limit it.  But to think you're immune is naive, IMO.

[NewStachian]

Absolutely, you can limit it.  But to think you're immune is naive, IMO.

Thank you for summing up in 1 line what it took my whole sarcastic paragraph to say ;)

[simonsez]

OTOH, I don't think my decision to buy my first Honda ('84 CRX, purchased in mid-'90s) was at all influenced by advertising, but by the fact that it was a small, 2-seat hatchback for under $3K.  Had I first found a Toyota, Mazda, VW, or other brand with the same qualities, I would almost certainly have bought it instead.  Likewise, my decision to buy my second* Honda (the Insight) was driven by the first three attributes, plus the fact that it was a hybrid.  So where does advertising play a major part in those decisions?

Sorry to beat a dead horse but I am curious about this when you say "don't think my decision.....was at all influenced by advertising."

Did all the random car owners where you live come knocking on your door offering to sell their car (with a non-biased sales pitch, of course, if there is such a thing) and the first one happened to be a small, 2-seat hatchback?  Or did you drive around blindly and when you stopped, there was a '84 Honda that fit your needs just sitting there with an agreeable price tag? 

What qualities were you looking for and how did you avoid any sort of advertising when looking for said qualities?  I just find it hard to believe you weren't aware of who was selling vehicles by any means and this car just landed in your lap.  How did you even know what a hatchback was or that it existed without some sort of advertising?

In fact, how do people buy groceries if they aren't influenced by advertising?  How are they able to locate the grocery stores the first time they live in an area?  Or do you just stalk the people walking around with bags of food and retrace their steps (probably via your enhanced sense of smell?) to a magical building with automatic doors?

As for the graham "cracker" debacle, I say create an aisle called "Cookies/Crackers or Crackers/Cookies" and have it be randomized each restocking which side of the aisle everything goes on.  I feel like King Solomon offering to cut up a baby in two.

Yes, to me, if you put out a sign indicating you sell cars or groceries, that is advertising. 

[Zikoris]

What kind of things could someone be susceptible to if they limit exposure to advertising and overall don't buy stuff? I'd really like to know, because if I'm leaking money into something subconsciously, I'd like to stop.

In fact, how do people buy groceries if they aren't influenced by advertising?  How are they able to locate the grocery stores the first time they live in an area?  Or do you just stalk the people walking around with bags of food and retrace their steps (probably via your enhanced sense of smell?) to a magical building with automatic doors?

I've actually tripped over grocery stores a number of times, including when I moved into my current apartment and discovered one across the street! Also, recommendations from friends - maybe it's just the people I hang out with, but "I got apples for a great price at X" is pretty common, as well as asking each other what store sells something. I know where the nearest Costco is because I used to be a shipping clerk in the factory that supplied flowers to all the Costco stores in the province. How do normal people find grocery stores?

[simonsez]

I've actually tripped over grocery stores a number of times

Wow, how tall are you?

[arebelspy]

What kind of things could someone be susceptible to if they limit exposure to advertising and overall don't buy stuff? I'd really like to know, because if I'm leaking money into something subconsciously, I'd like to stop.

Read up on the psychology of marketing stuff briefly discussed before the graham cookie debacle.  :)

[Zikoris]

What kind of things could someone be susceptible to if they limit exposure to advertising and overall don't buy stuff? I'd really like to know, because if I'm leaking money into something subconsciously, I'd like to stop.

Read up on the psychology of marketing stuff briefly discussed before the graham cookie debacle.  :)

I guess I'm trying to think of more concrete examples - cars are mentioned a lot, and a good example for many, but a lot of Mustachians don't have cars at all, myself included. Grocery shopping with your middle finger takes care of food. I think most of us choose service providers for things like internet based on the lowest price that meets our needs, so that's out. If you add to that a general philosophy of not buying stuff, what's left?

I do believe in the influence of advertising theoretically, I'm just struggling to find real-life examples that are applicable to people like myself.

[arebelspy]

What kind of things could someone be susceptible to if they limit exposure to advertising and overall don't buy stuff? I'd really like to know, because if I'm leaking money into something subconsciously, I'd like to stop.

Read up on the psychology of marketing stuff briefly discussed before the graham cookie debacle.  :)

I guess I'm trying to think of more concrete examples - cars are mentioned a lot, and a good example for many, but a lot of Mustachians don't have cars at all, myself included. Grocery shopping with your middle finger takes care of food. I think most of us choose service providers for things like internet based on the lowest price that meets our needs, so that's out. If you add to that a general philosophy of not buying stuff, what's left?

I do believe in the influence of advertising theoretically, I'm just struggling to find real-life examples that are applicable to people like myself.

No, cars as discussed are more examples of superliminal advertising.

I'm talking about stuff like how they arrange merchandise in stores.  The music they play and scents put in the air.

[MrsPete]

Okay, I used to be a professional baker, and I am the best cook I know . . . so I can comment on cookies vs. crackers: 

First, you have to dismiss shape as a deciding factor.  Saltines are rectangular, Ritz crackers are ovals, Triskets are square, and other crackers are a wavy-shape or hexagons.  Most but not all include "docking" on the top (little holes punched in a pattern -- these exist to prevent the cracker from getting "fluffy").

What you have to consider is the ingredients.  Crackers tend to have few ingredients; those ingredients include little to no sweetner and leavening agent (leavening agents make baked goods rise into a light and fluffy product).  Because of the lack of "rise", crackers tend to be more crunchy than cookies. 

So what does that make a graham cracker?  More of a cookie.  Graham crackers are made with graham flour (rather than the more common white flours or wheat flours).  Graham crackers contain a little bit of baking soda and molasses (sweetner).  Thus, the ingredients lean solidly towards cookie.  However, they are in no way a "true" cookie -- since they contain no butter or other fat, they lack the density and "mouthfeel" of a cookie . . . and also because of the lack of fat, they are more crunchy than a typical cookie. 

Also, because I like to watch Alton Brown, I know that graham crackers were invented by a pastor back around 1900.  He invented them as a part of a diet that was intended to be healthy and spiritual.  That's a bit nuts. 

Now, can we move on to something useful --  like whether tomatoes are vegetables or fruits? 

I think about 95% of us are saying we're not affected by advertising. I bet 95% of us are also above-average drivers.

Yeah, you're right. 

[Zikoris]

What kind of things could someone be susceptible to if they limit exposure to advertising and overall don't buy stuff? I'd really like to know, because if I'm leaking money into something subconsciously, I'd like to stop.

Read up on the psychology of marketing stuff briefly discussed before the graham cookie debacle.  :)

I guess I'm trying to think of more concrete examples - cars are mentioned a lot, and a good example for many, but a lot of Mustachians don't have cars at all, myself included. Grocery shopping with your middle finger takes care of food. I think most of us choose service providers for things like internet based on the lowest price that meets our needs, so that's out. If you add to that a general philosophy of not buying stuff, what's left?

I do believe in the influence of advertising theoretically, I'm just struggling to find real-life examples that are applicable to people like myself.

No, cars as discussed are more examples of superliminal advertising.

I'm talking about stuff like how they arrange merchandise in stores.  The music they play and scents put in the air.

I can see that being a factor if you like to browse, but I can't be the only one here who goes into a store to get a specific item/items, gets the cheapest option that's acceptable, and leaves. If I can't find what I'm looking for (the fancy grocery store across the street tends to hide the stuff I buy behind displays a lot), I get an employee to find it for me, or go elsewhere - I wouldn't buy a premium brand instead, or buy other things that I didn't need. I would imagine this is pretty common among mustachians, but who knows.

[arebelspy]

Of course we all do that.

Read up on it before you argue against it. :)

[Zikoris]

Of course we all do that.

Read up on it before you argue against it. :)

I've read a few books on it, my favourite which was "The Science of Shopping - Why we buy what we buy". I find it a really interesting topic, believe in it fully, and notice tactics stores use once in a while. It just seems like logically, deciding what you're going to buy and what you're going to pay before you even set foot in the store would circumvent all of that, which is exactly what we do.

I'd really like to figure out if I'm missing things, so I can correct them - I'm just drawing a blank so far.

[Ottawa]

Read up on the psychology of marketing stuff briefly discussed before the graham cookie debacle.  :)

And now graham cookie makers will be making extra money this quarter because of all the free advertising we've given them...or is this just return on their marketing investment?  How cunning of them.

[Ian]

Well, this thread has taken a strange turn.

I felt most disgusted by advertising when my wife and I were hanging out with her nephew, who was about 5 or 6 at the time.  He was perfectly content, doing something and half paying attention to the tv.  During a commercial break from Sponge Bob, a commercial for 'GoGurt' came on.  He watched the commercial, and then after it finished he said 'I'm hungry', walked over to the fridge, got out a GoGurt yogurt stick/pack thing, and ate it.

When I was younger, I was at a friend's house and someone else was watching TV. A commercial came on for an ice cream store and I out loud wondered if anyone was actually influenced by all the slow motion shots of ice cream. Before the commercial ended, the friend walked in and said, "That looks so good, we should go to [store]."

I am not exaggerating to make a better story, that's what happened and verbatim what was said.

[OzzieandHarriet]

I've never bought a car (or much of anything else) because of advertising. The slicker the ad, the less likely I am to be interested in the product.

[Ottawa]

I've never bought a car (or much of anything else) because of advertising. The slicker the ad, the less likely I am to be interested in the product.

Perhaps you just buy from car companies that advertise in a way that you don't notice?