JButtermilk's comments

On: Ultra-processed foods in the global food system: The role of tobacco companies

[JButtermilk]

I think marketing is fine until it turns into lies. Reaching people to sell them your product should not be an issue. That, with misrepresentation and misleading claims is an issue.

[somenameforme → JButtermilk]

I think manipulating people is a broader surface area to describe the problem. Most people think marketing is about just showing a product, but it's not. Marketing is about psychologically manipulating people and creating subconscious associations within peoples' minds using deeply researched strategies and techniques. See stuff like the Elaboration Likelihood Model. [1]

The next time you're watching a commercial from some company renowned for marketing success (Apple, Coke, etc) pay attention to how much time in the ad the product is in any way mentioned, and how much is... 'other stuff.' That other stuff is the point of the ad, the actual product is largely irrelevant. The world would be vastly better without large scale marketing.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaboration_likelihood_model

[francisofascii → JButtermilk]

"Men of America smoke Chesterfields" Is that a lie?

[iririririr → francisofascii]

no true Scotch would fall for that

[ilovetux → JButtermilk]

I would agree with you if we were just talking about the abstract idea of marketing. But like everything else, the devil is in the details.

The marketing industry in the US is built not only to get the word out about your product, but also to gatekeep who can compete in our free market.

With marketing being so pervasive as to monetize the entire internet it effectively levies a tax on every business that wants to compete.

If you dont have the marketing budget to outspend your competition then they have no competition.

[nradov → ilovetux]

Really? How much did Tesla spend on marketing?

[ilovetux → nradov]

Fair enough, I suppose.

While Tesla has (in some years) avoided traditional marketing, the ceo is known for spending ridiculous amounts of money on publicity stunts like having a submarine shipped to a cave and buying Twitter to boost public perception of his companies.

I think this is the exception that proves the rule.

[jonhohle → JButtermilk]

What about invasion of public and private spaces? Sidewalks in my neighborhood are plastered with dozens of political signs. It’s garish and in some cases hinders traffic visibility. Radio stations near me have started using the album art/song title metadata to display ads on the screen in my car in the middle of a song. Nearly every website tracks you, your phone provider tracks you, stores track you and then they roll up all of this “anonymous” information to target specific ads.

The whole industry is creepy, garish, tasteless, and rude. And that’s without lying.

On: Intuit to Acquire Mailchimp for $12B

[JButtermilk]

Good list, although some still feel like the 2000's. I would add Mailerlite and Mailersend and if you have a few bucks to spare Mailercheck. With this suite your email communication will be tip top They have a simple UI that feels like fresh air among mostly busy screens.