Monday, November 19, 2012

Couples Ads, Twice The Marketing Power

The media today influences us in many ways. Objects, colors, and every detail of an ad we see are analyzed and edited to appeal the consumer. Most of the time there are hidden messages and meanings that affect your mind subliminally. Companies will do anything to have the advantage and make you want to buy their product. There are times when what we see actually triggers certain emotions and gives us a standard, an opinion, perception of what is normal or even change our moral values.

When someone is in a relationship and sees a billboard or magazine ad picturing a couple, they often picture themselves and their significant other. They pay attention to what that picture is trying to sell and often this picture will influence someone who is in a relationship to purchase that item. Going a little deeper into it, a person might also get the perception of what a couple is supposed to look like, or how a couple should act. They will, in a sense, picture themselves as that couple.

If someone is single and they see a picture of a couple on an ad, it might trigger negative emotions. It might make them feel lonely or It might influence them to go out and try to find someone. It really varies by person. The message being delivered has the same goal but can affect the person in various ways. Either way, by publishing these ads, companies will influence people to spend money or want to spend money. It is surprising to see how much money companies spend on advertising and studying the effects of every little detail that goes into a billboard or magazine ad including everything from gender demographics to age and longevity.

 Having two people in the same ad or picture is beneficial to companies. Humans aren’t meant to be alone, we are made to interact and form relationships. That being said, having a male and female upon a billboard is more likely to catch people of both genders attention. We are always more attentive to things we can identify with. Though it might surface negative emotions to someone that is single, humans generally all want the same thing and that is not to be alone. This plays a major part in what we pay attention to and how we feel about relationships.