By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - General Discussion - Have you bought stuff cause of Ads?

I haven't gotten anything specifically because of an ad since I was a kid, but clearly I'm in the minority as ads be everywhere so they have to be working. Even knowing that I find it hard to imagine anyone but children being influenced by them. I'd think most just tune them out or skip if possible, we know what we want and don't want. Imagine if everyone had the willpower to ignore ads to the point where advertising wasn't worth no more. Life would be ever so slightly less annoying haha.



Around the Network

Ads serve as reminders I suppose.

Like a new game announcement trailer is technically an advertisement designed for you to want the game. But often the game was already confirmed to be bought the second it got announced for me. Many trailers change people's minds though. Like the new God of War (2018), it had massive fanfare and got many more people to buy it than the older games. If there was no trailer showing off the game or any info then people probably wouldn't buy it in as many droves. For me, I kind of got turned off by it and decided to not buy it until it is cheap.

Last edited by Farsala - on 17 August 2019

mZuzek said:
I think ads in general work more in a long-term brainwashing way than a "wow I'm going to get this now!" way.

How does that work? I think most lack the attention span for that lel.

Farsala said:

Ads serve as reminders I suppose.

Like a new game announcement trailer is technically an advertisement designed for you to want the game. But often the game was already confirmed to be bought the second it got announced for me. Many trailers change people's minds though. Like the new God of War (2018), it had massive fanfare and got many more people to buy it than the older games. If there was no trailer showing off the game or any info than people probably wouldn't buy it in as many droves. For me, I kind of got turned off by it and decided to not buy it until it is cheap.

I was thinking of stuff like car/food/travel destinations, but I guess yeah trailers are ads too. E3/Nintendo Directs/etc. are all just a collection of ads, but you have to go out of your way to see those. Afaik they generally don't show up when you're doing something else.



Lonely_Dolphin said:
mZuzek said:
I think ads in general work more in a long-term brainwashing way than a "wow I'm going to get this now!" way.

How does that work? I think most lack the attention span for that lel.

Farsala said:

Ads serve as reminders I suppose.

Like a new game announcement trailer is technically an advertisement designed for you to want the game. But often the game was already confirmed to be bought the second it got announced for me. Many trailers change people's minds though. Like the new God of War (2018), it had massive fanfare and got many more people to buy it than the older games. If there was no trailer showing off the game or any info than people probably wouldn't buy it in as many droves. For me, I kind of got turned off by it and decided to not buy it until it is cheap.

I was thinking of stuff like car/food/travel destinations, but I guess yeah trailers are ads too. E3/Nintendo Directs/etc. are all just a collection of ads, but you have to go out of your way to see those. Afaik they generally don't show up when you're doing something else.

Maybe you are a regular coke drinker. But maybe one week you were really busy and didn't buy any coke, but you saw an ad, and all of a sudden you really want that coke. So in the end you stayed hooked on coke due to an ad despite already being a coke drinker before. I know after a bike ride in 95F, I really want a coke right now. But I bought tea instead.



Facebook ads got me once or twice with astrology jewelry. But I got scammed through them on a foldable motorcycle :(

I have ad blocker anyway and I don't watch TV. Radio doesn't sell a single thing I want. Ads worked really well in the 90s though.. Remember "Yo queiro Taco Bell"? That little chihuahua? I was buying tacos from that! I used to actually like those Mcdonalds commercials from the 80s with McMayor and Hamburgalur. Those and the toys were great. Definitely the reason for going to each movie I saw was because of a TV ad. New cartoons were only watched if I liked its ad. I don't think I bought a single game bc of a TV spot.. that was all game magazine mind control.



Around the Network
Lonely_Dolphin said:

I haven't gotten anything specifically because of an ad since I was a kid, but clearly I'm in the minority as ads be everywhere so they have to be working. Even knowing that I find it hard to imagine anyone but children being influenced by them. I'd think most just tune them out or skip if possible, we know what we want and don't want. Imagine if everyone had the willpower to ignore ads to the point where advertising wasn't worth no more. Life would be ever so slightly less annoying haha.

I think you underestimate the power of ads on your subconcious. In many cases it is also not so much about prefering one brand over another but instead being aware of a product in the first place.

Anyways, as mentioned before game announcements are ads. I am pretty sure you had lesser games and more money if game companies would not announce their releases on conferences with flashy videos. You wouldn't probably have heard about half the games you own.



3DS-FC: 4511-1768-7903 (Mii-Name: Mnementh), Nintendo-Network-ID: Mnementh, Switch: SW-7706-3819-9381 (Mnementh)

my greatest games: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

10 years greatest game event!

bets: [peak year] [+], [1], [2], [3], [4]

Years ago, yes . The past 6 or 7 years, no. I only watch things through my dvr on tv, so i see no ads. Ad blocker on my computer, so i only see ads on Facebook, but i've never bought anything from a Facebook ad. I honestly don't even know what movies are out, unless someone posts about it on a messageboard, but then again, i don't really go to the movies anymore.



Ads on tv, in the streets or online like those here on the site are completely wasted on me. I've never bought or done anything because I saw an ad. In fact, they usually have the opposite effect on me, especially when they're intrusive or annoying.

Someone mentioned trailers are also ads, and while I've never looked at it like that, trailers can convince me to see a movie or buy a game, though I do actively look them up because I want to know more about something, so I'd say that's different.



All the time, without realizing it. Then sometimes I do become aware. For instance, I'm now in the market for a new vehicle.

I'm looking at Jeeps (word of mouth ads. from my family), Hondas (seen tons of commercials lately), and I'm even considering Chevy because of all those JD Power Awards/Sexy Mom car commercials. I guess I, in some small way as a soon to be father, want to have a sexy mom car? I am confused.

In any case, I was unimpressed by the Chevy SUV lineup and will probably be going with a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk/Elite Trailhawk or a Honda Passport.



I was at Fatburger this past Wednesday to buy a Blackened Cajun Cheddar Chicken Sandwich when I saw the ad in the window for their Best Anywhere Shakes. I haven't had a milkshake in years. I was thinking about it ever since, and last night, I got a strawberry milkshake from Fatburger. It ended up being my dinner. Very good. Great even. Six dollars though? Sheesh.

So yes. I've bought because of ads.



- "If you have the heart of a true winner, you can always get more pissed off than some other asshole."