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Opinion

Advertising floods all aspects of culture

Adil Saleem
Opinion Columnist 

Advertising has gone too far. Advertisement was fine on billboards and radio and television ads served their purpose. Fast-forward to the present and advertising is a multibillion-dollar industry all over the world. What's troubling is not just how deep advertising has crept into our lives, but the affects it has on our culture. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements. 

Everyone gets junk mail that has a million coupons, yet no one really knows how or why they receive this package. Why do I get random coupons that I've never requested? Who authorized it? 

I think there should be a mail blocking system. We could all go the route of Cosmo Kramer and ban paper mail all together. It seems every station you turn to, you're hearing meaningless infomercials for some product you will never need. 

At first, it was only billboards on the freeway that caught our eyes. But now, the once simple billboard has become a huge screen displaying text and pictures. 

Granted, they succeed in capturing my attention, but am I any worth to them when I am in a car crash caused by their distracting ads?

Businesses even use cars as advertising space. We've all seen the Volkswagen Beetle with "Geek Squad" imprinted on it, or the numerous amounts of other vehicles that display full-fledged ads. I knew taxis had a big billboard on the back for ads, but I was taken back by the ingenuity of advertisers when I discovered that a taxicab's wheel covers were actually advertisements for a television station. 

One thing that has curbed advertising in Texas is the 2004 implementation of the "No Call List." It's so effective that I don't remember the last time I talked to a telemarketer. 

If traditional ads were annoying, there is no limit to how annoying Internet ads are. I don't think anyone minds the banners at the top of pages, but with time, ads have gotten more and more annoying. Sometimes, advertisements fill up half the screen, and it always takes me a minute to close it. Then there are the infamous pop-ups that don't stop popping.

Product placements, as well as ad placements in movies nowadays are just overwhelming. Sadly enough, product placements aren't new. Even stores use product placement. Why does Tom Cruise drive a Lexus in Minority Report? Have you ever noticed that Ikea only has Hewlett Packard computers on their displays? Why does Santa Claus only drink Coca Cola? Why does Wal-Mart conveniently place its candy right across from its toys section? Why does Jennifer Garner only uses Nokia phones on Alias?

Sometimes, we get too engrossed with ads to realize what the advertisers are trying to pull. All these things are not just coincidental. They are deliberate, and they only do one thing: They enhance the profits of businesses because the consumers pay.

If you've ever seen The Apprentice, you know that it's basically a full hour of advertising; that is what Donald Trump does -- he sells. The contestants come up with ideas for major companies who in turn pay Donald Trump large sums of money just to be on the show.

As the old saying goes, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." With advertising we pay with our time and our attention rather than our checkbooks. Frankly, I'm short on time and attention and I don't want to pay anymore.

Saleem, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at aild@hotmail.com.