Ask HN: Is Advertising Becoming Obsolete?

[anbardoi]

People hate ads. How are they still lucrative? Ive noticed with some apps on my phone, there are native popup ads trying to sell some paid token or premium membership or something, and they are YEARS OLD. But yet, the only thing I know about the popup when I see it, is that it has a 'Not Now' or 'Maybe Later' button. Same goes for any ad on any website. <br><br> Ive noticed with my own browsing habits, that when I am on a website trying to read an article or a how-to, or just exploring, my mental goal is not to shop. So these ads are simply an annoyance that are getting in the way of what im actually trying to do. However, when I AM trying to shop, on a website where goods and services are sold, I am much more privy to be influenced by an ad. <br><br> At the gas pump when they put on the little embedded TV that plays ads, I toggle my 'mental ad blocker', but when I happen to hear a company name hosting the ad, immediately a feeling of annoyance and intrusion is associated with that company. How are modern methods of advertising even making anybody any money?

[anbardoi]

I also want to add that I have an 'unsubscribe' label for my email inbox that automatically sucks marketing emails into its own little black hole, outside of my primary inbox. It works by regex'ing any inbound email for the word "unsubscribe" and then puts it in its own inbox. Also why does <br> not work

[stop50 → anbardoi]

You need

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[sunnyyy]

Advertising is not becoming obsolete, but it is undergoing significant transformations due to technological advancements, changes in consumer behaviors, and evolving media landscapes. Here are several reasons why advertising remains relevant, albeit in evolving forms.

[petercooper]

I despise avocados. I actively avoid food that contains them as the taste and texture annoys me. How do avocado farmers make any money when avocados are so gross?

When an entire industry/community/religion/sport/thing made up of hundreds of thousands of people and companies continues to exist and I can't understand why, I lean to assuming I have the blind spot, not them.

[anbardoi → petercooper]

This is a pretty good analogy. But I think that I may be part of the majority in this context. It would be like the avocado farmers paying somebody to put avocados in your kitchen, even though you hate them.

[petercooper → anbardoi]

You're probably a part of the majority in the context of the public discussing their love/hatred of advertising, but that's different to its success at large. You'll rarely see anyone in music forums or with musical taste say anything nice about the band Nickelback, yet they are commercially very successful. You may be a connoisseur discounting the behaviors of the public.