One part of the reading that stuck out to me was when it said, “we live in a society of extremes” and advertisements play off this by giving us the clear, singular answers we want. Ads have evolved to really tap into the psychology of viewers to sell their product. This reading made me understand why I like my favorite ad. If I had to choose one, it would be the google ad where the old man is asking google home to remember things about his wife. There is another version where someone is asking google questions on their relationship that I also like. They are extremely sweet and emotional, but also incredibly simple. The entire commercial is the google search page with occasional pictures and a voice over. More than anything, this add emphasizes optimism. Google can solve any problem you have, even ones of memory and companionship. It uses a story to engage the audience. The story is easily relatable and those who do not relate directly can share in the feeling of nostalgia. It is also expanding the demographic of Google. As a tech company, users skew to be younger. But since the ad features and elderly man, it emphasizes that not only does everyone have a use for the device, but it is so easy to use that anyone can use it.
The ads I remember most have stories, similar to this Google one. If it is not a story within a singular ad, it is the overarching, recurring format or characters that stick out to me. I definitely fall for the tricks that ads use. However, it is hard to measure their effect. For example, while I really liked the Google ad, I was not inclined to buy the home device for me or any of my family. I do not even truly believe that this is the home device I would choose if I had one. However, the effect of advertisements is not always as direct as buying the product. The Google ad had an impact on my perception of the company. They seem sweet and caring which is important, especially as they grow and gain more power over the market. People need to have the sense of trust to use any of Google’s products, and this ad helped that image. Analyzing ads is very interesting because it reveals the immense knowledge marketers have on our psychology.
I think you had a really interesting response. I really liked your comment about how the advertisement may have not persuaded you to purchase the item, yet your overall perception of the company has increased. I think this is powerful because it demonstrates the power of branding and how long-lasting our perceptions of companies can be. While this product may not particularly appeal to you, you may be more inclined to use a different Google product/service because of your positive perception of the company.