Do campaign producers give us what WE want??

1. Where are we headed? What's the future? What are your thoughts on how far the techniques of persuasion might go?

As of right now the media has an enormous effect on the general public. As a result of this past election there have been an overwhelming amount of advertising dollars pumped into this campaign. I feel that in the future even more money will be pumped in the campaigns, and not only will there be public government funds, but many of the candidates will begin to accept even more funds from outside organizations (for example Obama using so much of the money donated to his campaign whereas McCain did not receive the even amount-- does this contradict some of Obama's anti capitalist politics??) I feel that a lot of the persuasion is used in negative ways in order to produce positive results for the given candidate-- mudslinging. Many of the commercials that I have viewed target the other candidate's politics, and then at the end say we won't do this. I do not agree with all of the advertising and campaigning that we have been bombarded with this past year, yet I do not thing there will be a slow in the future elections either. I also do not feel that I am really effected by the commercials because much of the information that I base my decisions on are based on debates and live politics-- what they DO not what they SAY.

2. Is there something distinctive in the American character that makes us susceptible to this world of advertising and messages? "The Persuaders" program explores the idea that Americans are seeking and finding a sort of identity in buying/joining a brand. What is this about? There is most definitely an American character that points us out as "vulnerable". I say this because we always seem to be easily swayed, with which ever way the wind blows. Also I do believe that the advertisers are doing exactly what they are being paid to do, that is to persuade (and in some ways possibly deceive). I believe that the persuader's are attempting to provide an outlet for today's society, people like to have an identity, a specific persona, and these persuaders are providing the public with these outlets to define themselves. I also do not think that there is anything wrong with this because, as long as someone is joining a brand or adopting a particular belief or system in which they believe.

3. What are the common elements in the persuasion/selling strategies of advertising and marketing? And how can we move about in this world with a degree of self-awareness as to what's happening, especially since all these messages are increasingly trying to move us to act and make choices on an emotional level? Technology has made advertising into what it really is today. Although sometimes I think that that we have become really desensitized to advertisements on the Internet. For example, I always X out pop ups, and I hardly ever really put any serious thought into viewing the sidebars and banners. I think that the Internet has become to saturated with "meaningless" and less inventive advertisements that people are beginning to overlook the overall message (partially because they are now CHOOSING not to be bothered).