The last four Super Bowls have been the four most watched TV programs in U.S. history. And some reports predicted the 2014 edition of the big game would break all previous records to become the most-watched ever.
With this many people gathered around their television sets watching the exact same programming, marketers will invest significant time and money getting their products on screen: 30-second advertisement spots sold for $4 million. They willingly make the investment knowing the most popular ads will be talked about in offices on Monday and watched over-and-over again on YouTube.
Watching and rating the commercials has become as important to the game as the events on the field. And only minutes after the final whistle, countless media sources rank the best and the worst advertisements declaring their own winners and losers.
Just to be fair, I do appreciate clever advertisements as much as the next guy. But as a whole, I have begun to watch them with a different focus. As somebody who has developed a great frustration over our consumer-driven culture, I often watch the marketing of products to determine their underlying promise. To uncover what else, other than the product itself, marketers are trying to sell me. And I am rarely impressed with what I find.
Often times, I discover the underlying message promoted by marketers represents misconceptions and inaccuracies about life. They push forward faulty rationale. And we would be wise to recognize and reject each of them. Consider just a few of the inaccuracies on display in last night’s football game:
7 Life Inaccuracies Portrayed in the Super Bowl Ads
1. To accomplish good in this world, buy more stuff. There has been much conversation about the softer, nicer tone of this Super Bowl’s advertisements: less sexism, less sleaze, and less coarse humor. I welcome the change. Instead, we received ads designed to evoke fuzzy feelings and emotional responses. Some companies (Axe, Chevy, U2) even took the next step and offered social change through the purchase of their products. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for world peace, beating AIDS, and celebrating cancer survival. And I appreciate companies that are investing money into social good. I just don’t think buying more stuff is the best way to accomplish it.
2. The best food is found in fast service and slick packages. In Notes from a Blue Bike, Tsh Oxenreider speaks about the joy and pleasure of eating “slow food.” She reminds us of the simple pleasure and benefit of purchasing quality food in season, including family in preparation, slowing down while we eat, and finding opportunity to linger at the table afterwards. Perhaps that is why the foolishness of some food commercials stick out to me. At one point, Subway referred to their new Frito Chicken Enchilada as food that “could not be resisted” and Sodastream promoted a new soda that was both “better for you and better for us.” There is wonderful food out in the world to enjoy—it’s just not on sale in your local fast food establishment or candy aisle.
3. We don’t need less TV, we need better TV. I have learned one of the great subtleties of television is its ability to further its own cause—in other words, those who watch television are the most drawn to watch more of it. This is most often accomplished through television’s promotion of its own programming by highlighting “the most watched new show,” “the funniest new series,” “must-see tv,” or “the next great sporting event.” Television promotes more and more of itself to present viewers and boldly calls for even more of their attention. During the football game, I noticed countless advertisements for new shows and new television networks to improve our television-watching experience. But in a country where people spend 34 hours a week watching TV, better, more personalized television is not the answer. Turning off the television is the answer.
4. If you can buy a luxury car, you should. Harvey Mackay once said, “If you can afford a fancy car, you can make more of an impact driving an ordinary one.” Car marketers would try to convince you otherwise. Their advertisements during the Super Bowl seem to presume that buying expensive new cars should be the goal of every American. Jaguar, Audi, and Kia all made claims to be the most luxurious vehicle on the market—as if luxury and reputation are the two most important goals anyone could achieve in their next car purchase. But as a nation that owes $11.28 trillion in consumer debt, we don’t need to buy more luxury cars, we need to change our spending habits entirely. And even if we do have the money to buy a new luxury car, is that really the best possible use of it?
5. Buy a website and you’ll become a successful entrepreneur. Websites are great. They provide opportunity to find your voice, interact with the world, and help bring about the change you desire. I am continually grateful for the opportunity this one provides for me. But I get a little nervous when I see companies make it sound too easy. Building a successful website takes time, money, energy, dedication, and passion. Both GoDaddy and SquareSpace seem to indicate it may be as simple as buying a new web address. And while purchasing a web site address is certainly your first step towards successful entrepreneurship, it is only the very first of many.
6. America is defined by football, soda, beer, and cars. American pride was an important theme for advertisers during this year’s Super Bowl. Coca-Cola, Budweiser, and Chrysler were among those who intentionally used the theming to help promote their product (Chrysler even went so far as to use this line: Detroit made cars. And cars made America). Also, for some reason, Super Bowl Sunday was deliberately referred to as “America’s holiday” over and over again this year. But it seems to me this country is about higher ideals than entertainment and consumerism—or at least, it could be.
7. Happiness is for sale. Advertisers often seek to convince us their products will increase our happiness and fulfillment in life—that the answer is found in spending more. From soda to alcohol and fashion, happiness is offered to us in our very next purchase. But the truth of life is that happiness cannot be purchased no matter how hard we search for it in material possessions. And advertisers do a great disservice to their audience by promising it in temporal packages. We would be wise to look for it elsewhere.
Image: Photo Credit: Heinz
All the creativity of ad makers should be used for educating people instead of making profits.
Advertisement and marketing have a bigger impact on our lives than we want to admit. Why is blue a “boy color”, why is pink a “girl color”, why do women feel the need to shave, and so many more examples of what advertisement has turned into “universal truths”.
I’m turning the switch to off.
Enjoyed the post Joshua. One goofy counterpoint: The Doritos “time machine” perfectly captured the successful sales technique of our time: fool them, be gone before they figure it out! Wait, the guy lost some junk (the Doritos) in the transaction…even better.
I see you chose not to put on your list the insidious use of veterans in several of the commercials. Only one commenter mentioned the “parade,” but missed the larger point. Perhaps you did not notice it, or perhaps you’re unaware of the general plight of military veterans in the US today. Or perhaps it’s too hot a topic for you to touch. Words can’t express to you the pain Vietnam Veterans feel when they see these feel-good commercials about returning vets, or indeed see any ceremony honoring vets. Between suicide rates among vets old and young, the backlog of benefits cases at the DoD, the deteriorating conditions at VA hospitals, and continuing cases of undiagnosed and untreated PTSD, the manner in which this country is portraying veterans in commercials is unconscionable. This issue should be #1 on your list. Next to this, the rest is fluff. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
This post really spoke to what I was feeling watching the Super Bowl commercials. I don’t have cable so rarely see commercials anymore. The AFC championship commercials and the Super Bowl commercials were sensory overload for me. I get very stressed out at messages saying that I need material things for a good life. The USA is so much more that what advertisers try to sell us.
Thanks for a great and thought provoking post!
Laura
I didn’t watch the Super Bowl or the commercials. I caught a couple of them on YouTube the next day simply for their entertainment value. Most commercials or other advertising is aimed at convincing us we need things. It was discovered long ago that advertising would be more successful if they attack us from an emotional standpoint rather than a logical one. They have to make us think we want and even need these things.
That’s one of the reasons I gave up on reading magazines, to many ads, and even the articles made me feel like I need more than I have.
The sad thing is, the majority of people fall for the false needs that are pushed on them.
I think about the same thing (what are they really trying to sell me, how are they trying to sell this to me?) when I watch advertisements. I’ve actually become quite cynical. I have recently seen a commercial by Domino’s pizza and had to give them credit: in the commerical, they show people getting overly excited about having pizza for dinner, then they stop it and say that getting pizza on a Tuesday won’t magically make your night special, but it’s what you do with the pizza. Then they show a family eating pizza and watching a movie together. I liked that.
It’s really sad that we are being bombarded by all these companies to buy unnecessary stuffs just to make huge profit, but as they say, business is a business and we,the consumer should not be enticed by these marketing strategies.
I appreciate the knowledge on your website. Thnx!
During the broadcast I followed along the twitter hashtag #notbuyingit. They also called out life inaccuracies and vicious stereotypes.
It’s amazing how advertisements promise us happiness in false and material objects. Enlighten me, how does eating and drinking unhealthy crap, buying expensive cars and watching more television even contribute to happiness. I don’t even consider myself a minimalist and I am offended at the very nerve of these ads that blatantly
suggest these are the things were perusing. I’ve made a pact with myself this year, rather than focus on typical minimalism, to create and learn where I can as opposed to consume and watch.
Cut up the credit cards, let go of all the un necessary purchases and explore other avenues of happiness like love, friendship, interests. Thanks for your site it has helped me in many areas of my life. Over the past few months, I have begun my university studies, sold around 75 percent of my items and saved every dollar I could in order to see how I could go without spending, the result: I’m healthier, happier, less stressed and feel free to do whatever I want. And I’m only 21, looking forward to the future.
Cheers
As I don’t live in the US, I happily missed all the advertising associated with the Superbowl. Amazingly enough, we were still subjected to score updates on local radio!
Did Oxfam manage to effectively highlight the land grab issue in Brazil / Cambodia during the Pepsi commercials?
Having visited the US before, I will just say that from an outsiders point of view, your advertising is absolutely overwhelming and in some ways quite funny. As Joshua points out, so many life inaccuracies are continually portrayed and the advertising seemed so much more invasive than what we have here (don’t get me wrong, we still have plenty of it). Having had a brief exposure to the levels of advertising in the US, many of the social and excess consumption based problems seem to be almost inevitable to me. Good work Joshua on highlighting this issue:)
I agree with just about everything, but you totally missed the point of the U2 ad. Their song was available FREE yesterday. For every download, Bank of America would pay $1 to the RED cause. There was no product sale involved.
It was still a Bank of America ad trying to sell you something.
There are a couple points to be made about this.
First, BoA was, on the simplest level, inserting their name into the subconsciousness of consumers who may soon be shopping for a bank. Those young people who are looking for their first bank, or those people who get fed up with their bank. “I hate my bank, but I remember BoA gave money to RED, so I will give them my business!”
The other level of consumer they were trying to hit were those consumers who hate them. Those consumers who are aware that BoA was one of the perpetrators of our economy’s crash in 2008. One of those who helped in the popping of the housing bubble. One of those who harassed (and still does harass) mortgage holders. To them, the commercial was hoping to instill: “BoA sucks, but maybe they are cleaning up their act and want to become good citizens of the earth by fighting AIDS.”
Anyway you cut it, Bank of America was selling a product. Clearly you missed it.
Thanks for the comment Tracy. I debated a bit including the Bank of America ad. But, as @C pointed out, there are clear self-serving motivations behind the offer. After all, why couldn’t Bank of America have just donated the $2million to fight AIDS in the first place? They don’t need me to download a song from iTunes to accomplish that.
Joshua, I appreciate your taking the time to reply. I have no use for BofA either, actually. But the thing is, setting it up that way draws attention to the (RED) cause. It at least guarantees that all the U2 fans who download the song are aware of it. The band has long used their influence to get people involved in the ONE campaign and Amnesty International. I do not think that they are doing this out of some cynical motive. And of course, they could have chosen to offer the song for a buck and raked in a mint.
No, I didn’t miss it. The “company” that Joshua went after in his post was U2, not BofA.
He wrote: “Some companies (Axe, Chevy, U2) even took the next step and offered social change through the purchase of their products. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for world peace, beating AIDS, and celebrating cancer survival. And I appreciate companies that are investing money into social good. I just don’t think buying more stuff is the best way to accomplish it.”
The ad was about the new song, not about “buying more stuff”.
About point #1, I appreciate your giving corporations the benefit of the doubt, but they link themselves with charities and causes BECAUSE it makes them look better by proxy. What does Chevy have to do with cancer anyway? Exactly.
One other bit of misinformation you forgot to mention: That guy in the picture holding the ketchup bottle. FALSE. Everyone knows you don’t hit the bottom, you hit the “57” on the shoulder of the bottle. ;)
I’m with you on all of these but the tv. I know most minimalists give up tv, and that’s great for you. I do kind of wish people could be a little less self-congratulatory about it, though. I watch less tv than I used to, but really don’t plan on giving it up. We all have different things we enjoy and some of us introverts really enjoy being inside, whether we are reading, watching really good tv shows, or surfing the Internet (sometimes with friends and family). And, yes, tv promotes itself, but unless a new show looks interesting to me right away or gets great reviews, I won’t check it out just because the network claims it’s a hot new show.
Thanks for the comment Erin. I have not given up television entirely in my home either. We have one remaining and we do use it—for example, to watch the Super Bowl. I also enjoy watching the Mentalist on Sunday nights. And my wife likes Downton Abbey.
Downton Abbey is fantastic! Your wife has good taste.
I agree. Downton Abbey is excellent. I like the Sherlock show with Benedict Cumberbatch, too. :)
I found most of the ads entertaining, but I won’t be buying anything they’re selling. Especially not a Jaguar–one of the most overrated, good-looking but genuinely crappy cars around. The ad with the “hometown welcome” for the soldier was overblown. I realize all these commercials are attempting to play to our fears and desires but I agree with the points in this post. And if you view them with a discriminating mind, it’s easier to see through their ploys and not feel bad for not being a “good consumer.”
Who even cared enough to watch 22 people run into and away from each other? We’ll see the comercials this “sweeps month” anyway…..would rather (and did) watch Puppy Bowl X
I watched the game, and honestly, I was overwhelmed by the experience. Trying to manage the food, conversation with friends, watching the game, and then trying to figure out the wittyness of the commercials, proved too much.
The author makes excellent points. Let’s be honest with ourselves and see what these commercials are really about. Thank you for this post.
I also posted in my blog today about the food experience. Warning–R rated.
So true, I especially loathe the big pharma commercials with people who have such a wonderful lifestyle and live in a beautiful home because of the drugs they are taking to make it all possible. What a Fantasy Island they live on…
amen. as one who is caught working in a retail environment (semi-retired and the only job fairly close to home), i see the buy buy buy impact on a daily basis. i am trying to minimalize my spending and life style, but i see so much of the “more is better” attitude on a daily basis. not only buy more, but try to argue their way into spending less……and i always wonder when something is “new and improved”, what was wrong with it before?
i dumped my cable a while ago, tired of paying so much for so little. i don’t miss it. i turn on the local news to get the weather at night and that’s it. proud to say i have never seen many of the so called “popular” tv shows. and when someone carries on about a celebrity most times i no idea who it is or why they are so special. and the fact that this kind of sport adulation is so predominant, really makes real life hard to stomach. they are payed disgusting amounts of money, while people who make a difference struggle….i think people who do the dirty grunt work should be paid more, and the rich athletes less.
i live in a small rented house in the country, and manage to keep my distance from the craziness. as for believing the hype, i really think a lot of people DO…..biggest car, biggest house, do do do for your kids or you are incompetent, drive as fast and dangerously as car ads show. and they just don’t see the waste that is being created in living like this. this planet has limited resources and they are being depleted in so many ways.
ok, getting off my soapbox now. thank you for what you do to show us a better way.
I was going to post my own comment but you took the words right out of my mouth! Ditto! And thank you!
I subscribed to your blog, because I really do believe in the minimalist lifestyle, Generally I like all your posts—-but you really missed on this one.
As if the rest of us are idiots and you had to tell us that advertising is companies trying to sell something. They try to sell by presenting the product in the best light possible. We are not stupid. We know we will not be bigger, better, smarter or more successful by our car, our food or our website.
I see you posted this in the wee hours of the morning—so I will forgive your assumptions that the rest of us don’t ‘get’ advertising.
Thanks for the feedback Dona. I really do appreciate it. This blog has always been a place for my observations on life and consumerism. I do not assume every post will teach something new to every reader—there is just far too wide a spectrum.
The sad reality is that most people don’t really get advertising. Gone are the days when commercials tried to sell you on the actual merits of the product. Sure, nowadays there are snippets about features but the words do not have anywhere near the same impact as the images. The majority of advertising is focused on eliciting emotion. It’s about image, status, success. You don’t need a Lexus because it’s the most reliable car. You need a Lexus because it is a symbol of success and “everyone else” will be jealous.
When you stare at the TV for 34 hrs a week, those images make an impression and it takes conscious thought to see through the pitch and down to the reality. Having had no cable or even local channels for over 6 years, it is almost painful to watch.
Or even if we “get” it, it’s all too easy to get lulled back in over and over. Have to maintain a constant level of vigilance just to navigate daily life.
Good points overall. But note that Sodastream (www.sodastream.com) is actually promoting a way to make your own soda at home — old-fashioned slow-cooking style — with an emphasis on plain old seltzer. So while it’s a gadget, it actually may be “better” than buying armsful of plastic bottles.
To me, it just looks like something that will end up in the back of a closet someday.
Our friend has used hers daily for years. Ours, however, has a less than prominent place in the back of a cabinet…
One of my friends recently bought me a beautiful that says ‘Whoever says money can’t buy happiness is not shopping in the right places.” I haven’t used it because it makes me uncomfortable as it doesn’t reflect my life view. But the scary thing is that I have a feeling my friend meant it. I suppose what I’m saying is, people do internalise the underlying messages from advertisements. If challenged, some people have said to me “don’t be so literal” or pointed out that most rational people understand that the advertiser is selling a product, not the fountain of life. But people’s actions sometimes say to me that they do believe it, even if they wouldn’t necessarily acknowledge that in public.
John,
I think you may be missing the point. Offering a good product is not a bad thing. The issue here is the way that products are offered. You should be thankful for a quality advertisement when you are looking for that product. That makes your search a little easier. Be wise and don’t allow emotions to control your decisions.
“Thankful for quality advertisement”…maybe. However, the point being most of what is provided on any given day in terms of advertising isn’t there to promote a true quality of life it is promoting a product–a product with the illusion that in this ego-centered world “this bud is for you” and any other X Brand product promoted. This type self-centered devotion through consumerism cannot make you happy. Now perhaps 12 beers later happiness may or may not ensue…but that is another story. Have a good one.
Wow! 34 hours a week watching tv? I knew the number was high, but it’s higher than I realized. People frequently as me, “How have you accomplished so much?” I raised and homeschooled my kids – on my own. I had a number of books published, invented products that were brought to market, and have run a number of businesses – all while being a single, work from home, homeschooling mom. We also did things like spend six months camping our way across the US and extensive travel through Europe and Asia.
I want to make clear: when my ex ran out on us I was pregnant with my youngest and got laid off from work. My ex was a deadbeat, didn’t contribute much of anything over the years – no much in terms of visitation or financial support. I had no help financially from others. I brought us up from what was just about the poverty level AND managed to achieve my goal of being a highly available homeschooling mom. This is why I’m regularly asked how I did it all.
My answer is simple: commitment, focus, hard work, faith, and a decade without tv. All those hours freed up. Money saved not only in terms of electricity and cable fees saved, but also no “programming” pushing us to consume. I am very serious when I say this but people laugh and think I’m joking about the tv part. I’m not. Not having a tvade a trrmendois difference – I believe it was a crucial element. It also, in my opinion, contributed to family bonding. Long dinners. Hours in the evening reading stories aloud. Many board game nights. Lots of creative activities. Lots of skills gained by all of us in that free time.
People then look to my now grown sons. How are young men in their early 20s, without a college degree, earning over 60k? How do they get 7 promotions in a year? How are they called upon and entrusted with spearheading important projects? The answer is the same as mine – all of that extra free time allowed them to volunteer, to gather skills, work experience, and tons of knowledge. This made them highly valuable in the work force too.
This is not meant to be a brag, and I hope it isn’t taken as such. My point is simply that your point about tv is overwhelmingly correct (as are your others). Instead of buying the dream programming is trying to, well, program is with, why not free our minds and time and make our lives amazing?
Excellent post, thank you.
Laura,
You are amazing & an inspiration.
I agree. There are some brilliant minds on Madison Ave, they can persuade us in many ways to buy products that we really do not need. Take for example your quick reminder to purchase your book. I would say that is hypocritical. just saying..
Hi John,
I think an honest “you can buy my book” on the author’s own website that you came to intentionally to learn about minimalism is a far cry from a contrived story in a pretend reality to subversively evoke certain feelings to compel you to buy something you don’t need… :) I don’t think it’s hypocritical at all.
I write books that encourage people not to buy stuff—the irony is not lost on me.
:-)
What really irked me about the commercials last night was the parade for the soldier. I live in Winter Park Florida where it was filmed. The fact that Budweiser promoted this as a town welcoming a hero home drives me crazy. There was no parade put on by the town, that was a parade put on by Budweiser to make a commercial. I hate that the company used this soldier to promote beer, and lied in the process.
And yet that was the favorite commercial for so many people last night. Because it showed soooo much respect for our warriors.
Don’t blame Bud for knowing what yanks on American heartstrings. We’re just that easily manipulated. During the poutrage over Coke’s “America the Beautiful” commercial, I have seen many comments: “I am boycotting Coke, and buying Bud tomorrow, because Bud is a REAL American company!!!”
Tell me, is that really Bud’s fault?
This “free sharing” of information seems too good to be true. Like communism.
Bud is owned by In-Bev, a foreign company
I love the last point – Happiness is for sale. Isn’t it crazy how easily and efficiently the media is able to sell us on that theory? It has permeated our heads so well that a lot of people use shopping therapy as soon as they feel a twinge of dissatisfaction or unhappiness. No one wants to feel bad in any way and fixing that is as easy as going to a shopping mall and buying something new, anything new. I’m so guilty of this as well no matter that I know that it will never help in the long-term. I’m just looking for a quick fix. I just want to feel good right away. Meditating and doing yoga are great alternative fixes for me that I bring on as much as possible whenever I feel like my mood is dipping. Thanks for the post!
#3..We need BETTER television programming!!! Amen to that…Cable bills are expensive and offer so very little. Just as soon have a good book and the quiet!
This is really great. I didn’t even watch the superbowl, as I could care less and don’t watch television in general. Woke up this morning to find this article in my email, and I am thoroughly satisfied with this piece right here being the only info I read about this year’s bowl, lol. I don’t even know who played yesterday tbh. A good feeling it is.
I’m with you, Trevor.
There was one ad that challenged societal norms in a positive way and that was the Goldieblox ad.
Even Goldieblox is so sexist. Why do girls need puppies, stars, purple, pink, and ribbons to get into technology? Couldn’t they have toned down the girlishness of them and at least made more gender neutral colours? It still falls short of the ideal, not having gender biased toys at all, as even Goldieblox are just for girls.
No.
Because pink crap sells to little girls. You can go ahead and blame parents or society or whatever you like for that fact. I think it is completely unreasonable to expect a for-profit business to be responsible for righting that particular wrong.
Goldiblox is not sexist. It is attempting to work within the truths of our society today. From birth we bombard little girls with pink. As soon as mom and dad find out they are having a girl and before she’s ever born, it’s time to paint her new room pink, get pink blankets, pink booties, pink clothes, pink stuffed toys, pink pink pink… is it any wonder little girls grow up liking pink and cute things? That’s ALL THEY KNOW.
So if Goldiblox, which is attempting to get girls interested in engineering, wants to grab the attention of those girls, they need to work within the “wants” of those children.
A few years ago Lego spend millions doing 5 years of research on how to sell their building toys–a traditional “boy” toy–to little girls. They came up with the Friends line of Lego sets. Pink and purple and pastel blue bricks building pet shops and bakeries and beach houses. They found that during their years of research, what little girls wanted was pretty colors and minifigures that looked more like them than the traditional yellow Lego men in other sets.
Lego Friends is their bestselling line. They have raked in ridiculous amounts of money on these sets. Once again, it is NOT the duty of Lego or Goldiblox to change the attitudes of little girls OR their parents. Personally, I don’t care what goddamn color the bricks are, little girls are playing with traditional “boy” toys and it may lead them to traditional “boy” jobs, like engineering and construction. I call that a win.
It’s up to parents and society to change the way we raise girls so that the tyranny of pink finally ends.
Not all little girls are raised with pink though. Yes the majority but I wasn’t. I grew up playing outside in dirt, playing with “boy colored” Legos and not Barbies. I also work in daycare and we ask the kids what is their favorite color all the time. None of our 11 girls say pink or purple as their favorite (ages 2 to 6th grade). Most say blue or green, one likes red, another orange and then one likes black. So although I agree there are a lot of parents that right away bombard little girls with pink and purple, I don’t believe that it makes an impression on all girls. And we have two boys who live pink at our daycare, too. ;)
What touches a woman and a man are different… honoring ones connectivity is only fair. Why is the feminine so attracted to pink… I personally don’t have that connection, preferring a bold strong red… yet, I know that I get corrected when I am boisterous, stubborn and “male”. Color is a part of how we view and react to things in life. I regret buying my daughter a Barbie Jeep… many many years back… but I did balance that with walks in nature, respect for others – all living things. I admit I could have done a better job in the spider department back then too… but we all must grow. Thinking from the heart… and allowing our mind to process that which emanates from the heart will effect change… did my daughter need a pink Barbie Jeep… no… did I need a red sports car with leather seats… no… and I see the world differently now. Seeing, allows my mind to hear what my heart knows. The Creator, Nature, Our Compassionate Heart… all bring gifts that marketing, spin, and others agendas cannot hide if we can but be still, become centered, and listen. Dr Wayne Dyer has great introspection on the ways of a child. Stop a moment… use your 53 different senses to know your world, and the world of your children… change will come.
I was particularly offended by the athletes promoting Subway. Fritos are not fuel for elite athletes. It we want to work toward our fitness goals, the last thing we should do is eat that sandwich!
Anything you see advertised on TV is most probably bad for you. If people cannot make the distinction between reality & marketing fantasy they need to wake up.
Good post. Marketing is nothing more than sophistry.