Those marketing geniuses

Written 22nd May 2025

I've just driven to my partners to see him for the evening, about 40 miles.

Have you ever actually taken a hard look at the amount of cars, vans and lorries on the major roads these days? It is staggering. And it wasn't even rush-hour.

Think about not only the amount of vehicles, but that each one has at least one person in it, doing their thing, going wherever they're going. All different but intrinsically the same. With the same basic needs, but an endless possibility of wants amongst us all.

I listen to music via YouTube on my phone for the journey. The ads are annoying. Really annoying. And repetitive. No, I don't want a hotel room or a holiday. No, I don't want a pizza. No, I didn't buy a car on finance after 2006. No, I don't want to invest in crypto. Yes, I'd love shinier hair but no, I'm not going to buy your product because of an annoying advert.

Yours will be different but unless you pay to go ad free, the likes of most commercial audio options in the car will have ads. A huge captive audience. Capital Radio, part of a larger corporation, generated over £500million in ad revenue in 23/24. And that is a LOT of advertising. It's big business.

But all of these ads, they have one goal in mind, to sell you something. To plant seeds in your mind that you'll be richer, more attractive, happier, healthier etc etc if you buy their thing / use their service.

You have to realise that it might do what it promises but there will be a cost or a risk to you.

Start remembering that while you listen.  You are just a stat, a demographic, a potential consumer, and remember to consider whether you really need a shop produced pizza when you can just get one out the freezer and stick it in the oven for a quarter of the price, or that there are plenty of shampoos that'll make your hair shiny. Remember all those companies have to recover their advertising cost somehow, and yes dear friends, it'll be added to the cost of the thing they're selling which means you're paying more for the thing than a brand that doesn't advertise.

As an example Tesco spent over £80million on advertising in 2020 and the total advertising spend in the USA in the same year was $240 billion. That's $240,000,000,000 or 240,000 millions. Just spent on advertising. It is big business!!

I wonder what changes we could make in the world with that much money to spend - eradicate water shortages? or poverty in countless countries.

Try to remember your budget and your financial goals. All these companies want you to spend your money with them. Be sensible and don't get carried away by the marketing.
I remember being really excited about getting a new (to me) car. The build up is fab. Not long after getting the thing, you're back to the monotony of life, and the car hadn't changed my world or made me a better person or anyone think I was richer or more sexy. It's just a car. A functional object. The excitement is intoxicating, that's why people become addicted to shopping, the buzz of getting a new skirt, dress, pair of shoes, microwave, whatever, but it's still only just a thing, and cheaper more basic items would probably just as easily do the job, or maybe you didn't even need a new one in the first place and you're just shopping for the sake of it.

I've waffled too long already. 

Just remember to try to always ask yourself before making a purchase 'Can I afford it with money that I actually have?' And 'Do I really need it?'.

Or carry on mindlessly being swayed by the very clever advertising, FOMO, interest free offers, balance transfer deals, higher credit balances, low deposits etc and carry on going to work to pay for it.

Be safe and happy
LF
xx