Why Are We So Negative?
There was a time in the not too distant past when companies chose to pursue differentiated strategies because their products or services had a perceived value which was an intrinsic characteristic of the product or service. There was also a time when politicians campaigned on their own merits, which were qualifications that were inherent in the candidate.
This morning I heard an ad on the radio for Kelly Moore Paint Stores. The ad was a standard 30 second radio spot, of which approximately 20 were dedicated to criticizing Home Depot. Although the name was never used, it was very clear that Home Depot was the target. There have also been ads on TV recently from both Lowes and OSH which do the same thing. Everyone derides the size and supposed impersonal nature of Home Depot's service.
My question is, if personal service were valued by the customers of Kelly Moore, et. al., why do they have to criticize the competition? If it were a truly differentiating factor for which people were willing to pay a premium price, wouldn't it be better to advertise that your store had the service?
Politicians no longer say “vote for me because I have a, b, and c.” Rather, they say “vote for me because my opponent lacks a, b, and c.” Usually, the candidate who is the first to declare that he will not resort to mud slinging is the first one guilty of this tactic. They seem to draw a very fine line of distinction between “vote for me” and “vote against my opponent.”
This pervasive negative attitude infuses our daily lives. Have we become so jaded as to actually require this type of advertising? I'd like to believe that advertisers do this not because we require it, but rather because they think we will expect it. I can't believe that society is so far gone as to envision a future where we compare the negatives of products and services, rather than the benefits.
In many of NBC's “The More You Know” spots, they talk about hate and prejudice and caution us to avoid teaching them to younger generations. But when that message is sandwiched between thinly disguised attack ads, what actual message is being received? It's not rocket science. If companies and politicians focused on their positive attributes, everyone would benefit.
This morning I heard an ad on the radio for Kelly Moore Paint Stores. The ad was a standard 30 second radio spot, of which approximately 20 were dedicated to criticizing Home Depot. Although the name was never used, it was very clear that Home Depot was the target. There have also been ads on TV recently from both Lowes and OSH which do the same thing. Everyone derides the size and supposed impersonal nature of Home Depot's service.
My question is, if personal service were valued by the customers of Kelly Moore, et. al., why do they have to criticize the competition? If it were a truly differentiating factor for which people were willing to pay a premium price, wouldn't it be better to advertise that your store had the service?
Politicians no longer say “vote for me because I have a, b, and c.” Rather, they say “vote for me because my opponent lacks a, b, and c.” Usually, the candidate who is the first to declare that he will not resort to mud slinging is the first one guilty of this tactic. They seem to draw a very fine line of distinction between “vote for me” and “vote against my opponent.”
This pervasive negative attitude infuses our daily lives. Have we become so jaded as to actually require this type of advertising? I'd like to believe that advertisers do this not because we require it, but rather because they think we will expect it. I can't believe that society is so far gone as to envision a future where we compare the negatives of products and services, rather than the benefits.
In many of NBC's “The More You Know” spots, they talk about hate and prejudice and caution us to avoid teaching them to younger generations. But when that message is sandwiched between thinly disguised attack ads, what actual message is being received? It's not rocket science. If companies and politicians focused on their positive attributes, everyone would benefit.
posted by exsubdriver at 1:14 PM
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