How is it that flash cars, clothes and houses have got a favourable image? They are symbols of money, status and power but they can’t always have been associated in this way. What is the most powerful industry in controlling consumer’s habits? Advertising.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve become more aware of my surroundings on my commute. First, as I wait at the station there are a number of billboards for me viewing, then on the actual commute there are plenty of adverts on the walls of the train and then finally going through Waterloo station it’s advertisement central. I’ve seen Iggy Pop and his “saving time is saving money” car insurance adverts around 1000 times since I started working (7 months ago). His image and the purple background of the advert is practically burned into my memory. I’m convinced that investing in Henderson/Jupiter/[insert investment bank here] will give me ridiculous returns on my money without forgetting that the small print (which is actually quite big on billboards) states that I could lose the total amount that I invest.
I hate looking at these adverts because I feel as though they busy my brain. Whilst I’m trying to arrive at work refreshed I feel bogged down by these everyday adverts which offer me no real applicable advice. So why do they stick with me? This may be stating the obvious but advertising is designed to make you feel you need something when you might not. On occasion I’m reminded by a Sainsbury’s advert that I need to pick up milk after work but that really is ON occasion. They’re also extremely powerful because I see them everyday, five days a week if not more. Over time they become burned into my memory like Iggy Pop’s car insurance.
I’m keen to combat this control over consumers that advertising companies possess. I want to use this technique to communicate the opposite message: Saving Money is Cool. It’s a simple message but if there was enough money pumped in by the government or companies keen to do their bit as Corporate Social Responsibility then I have no doubt that people will be left with the image of their own gold pot and the message that saving now is cooler than spending now. If it took off I truly believe that we would have a nation who were more financially responsible.
