A Better Approach to Marketing & Sales

     In my opinion, the role of marketing and advertising should be to inform the customer--especially about something new or updated.  
     You can create "urgency" and "desirability" by emphasizing "seasonal" or "limited supply" and through exquisite "product placement".  You can make something sound enticing, but you shouldn't coerce consumers into buying things that they don't want.  For example, a waiter may recite the Specials of the Day and suggest, "We have beautiful branzino today--so fresh and cooked to perfection, with fresh house-made mozzarella and vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes.  The chef made his own spice blend.  And on such a beautiful summer night, I might suggest a bottle of Pinot Gris."  Thus, the data stands on its own.  But he doesn't say, "Listen, that guy over there ordered the lobster.  Don't you wanna be like him?  He's gonna look better than you!  Besides, Michael Jordan loves our lobster!  You'll look so sexy buying it; you'll probably 'get lucky' tonight.  And if you're a REAL dad and really care about your kids, you'll order the fillet mignon for them.  That's what real dads do.  Plus, we offer financing, so you can order now and pay later!  Interest rates may apply."  
     I think we make a great mistake in letting advertisers have their own way.  It’s a mistake not to tell them that we are grateful for the free entertainment they get (radio, internet, certain TV), and are grateful enough to buy the products that sponsor them.  But, the people have some rights, too.  After all, it’s their homes that advertisers go into.  The public is not grateful to people who “get one foot in the door” by pretending to offer them music or drama, and then take too long to provide it, due to corny sales talk, commercials, and online ads.  
    Consider Gillette.  They haven't made a new product in 10 years: they just keep adding blades.  You think it took 10 years to develop that?  Not according to one of my former marketing professors, who worked on their account.  10 years ago, they knew how many blades they'd eventually have, and what kind of other motorized/flexible gadgets they'd add to their razors.  Yet, they have tremendous marketing and advertising to maintain "brand recognition".  [By comparison, I imagine that the marketing team for Gulden's Mustard probably sleeps comfortably all day].  
     Marketing has insulted consumers, cheated them, raised the volume for TV commercials, interrupted their online browsing with nuisance pop-ups, and turned their home into a combination of store and mall.  [GQ Magazine spiraled downward like that.  Its former editor, Art Cooper, maintained every issue's integrity.  After his demise, his replacement let the articles become flabby and cheap, and subscribers paid for a magazine of mostly ads and irrational endorsements].  Web browsing is slyly tracked by companies who try to assume the buying patterns of internet viewers.
     It's all a matter of ethics… and it also depends on consumers' own sense of self-worth as to whether they shun the pressuring marketing tactics or not.  Buyer beware.