DEPENDENCE EFFECTMarketing Ethics

Galbraith’s Dependence Effect Advertising convinces people that they

need things that they don’t really need.

Hayek’s Response NO! Advertising elicits desires that

originate with the consumer, but do not cause consumption.

Galbraith’s point via “They Live” Advertising manipulates unconscious

desires towards consumption of the product advertised

Vicary: Subliminal Messaging?

In summer of 1957, Advertiser James Vicary, was going to be become “Mr.Subliminal” after the experiment, declared make a marketing experiment on total audience of 45.699 while The Picnic was screening for 6 weeks in small cinema in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Vicary placed a tachistoscope in the theater’s projection place. In this experiment, the massage, “Eat Pop-Corn , Drink Coke” was flashing for 1/3000 of a second at five-second intervals during a film as a subliminal massage that below the audience’s threshold of conscious perceptibility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uH6rH9Phgg

…Or association?

E.g. ‘Killing us softly’ campaign

Response: All Value is Perceived Value

Goldman: Marketing ADDS value

1) Marketing sponsors art, informs, and promotes consumption.*

2) A healthy society has art, information, and consumption.

3) So, marketing is necessary for a benefitial a healthy society.

*Regulation against false claims

Consumption? Veblen: If consumption is displayed as

wasteful, it suggests wealth! So, wealthy people are motivated toward wasteful consumption (conspicuous consumption.)

The NEW NEW? Conspicuous Charity

Summary Question Is society actually better off taking the

“blue pill” of advertising and believes the fantasy????