Commercializing Happiness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuCxnq0H4hA&feature=related

I think this ad is hilarious. You start off with an image of this run down woman, clearly distressed, just broke a heel, she's obviously having one of those "bad days". Don't worry all she needs to improve her life is a VISA card. After her makeover, new clothes and a quick song her life is perfect. Ignore the fact that she may not actually have the funds to afford this new look and apparent "new life". Where in this 30 second commercial is them showing a clip of her ignoring the collection agencies numerous calls about her unpaid bills?

I just find commercials these days are so manipulative and use brainwashing as a marketing technique. I want to call up visa and say "I bought a new pair of shoes using my visa card but there was no dance number and certainly no group of hot men carrying me from store to store." I'd probably make some accusation of false advertisement because although I applied for my VISA card and I use it all the time, I'm no where near as happy as this woman.

Why is it that after buying all these products to firm up, make smooth, DE-tangle and slim-down, I'm still not happy with my appearance? I should look exactly like the image on the front of Vogue shouldn't I? I did everything the article said to, I even left the hair color in for 15 minutes longer just to make sure all the grey hair was gone!

The best is when they use famous actors and actresses to help endorse their products. I mean you see Tiger Woods shaving with a certain type of razor and the first thing that pops into your head is, "well if it's good enough for Tiger Woods, then it has to be good" I'm sure the dumbest thing one can think is that it will make them a better golf player, which I'm sure subconsciously people think about. Now question how much money Tiger Woods got paid for that advertisement, I can't even begin to guess.

It's all about the money and who endorses your products. The ads make sure you know that even if your hideous, their product will give you that extra push into making you just about the prettiest woman in the world.