4 ms·

Ask HN: Is marketing essentially using brainwashing to propagate a meme?

3 points by amichail 17y ago

And if so, shouldn't rational thinkers speak out against the dangers of marketing? Why do atheists speak out against the dangers of the "God virus" but not against the dangers of marketing?

SwellJoe 17y ago
Bill Hicks had something to say on the subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo
jacquesm 17y ago
Viral marketing is, 'regular' marketing can be divided in to two branches, one where people are informed about a product and left to draw their own conclusions, and another - much less ethical one - where marketing is used a means of influencing decisions people make in general. The latter I have a real problem with. SwellJoe has already posted Bill Hicks, let me contribute this little gem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi63rXnuWbw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi63rXnuWbw
- gruseom 17y ago
  Have you seen Adam Curtis' documentary "Century of the Self"? If not, I'm pretty sure you would like it. I'm only partway through, but it's already filled in a number of blanks for me as to how we got where we are. (Edit: to be specific, the stuff in part 1 about Edward Bernays and the psychoanalytic roots of modern PR is riveting.) I mention it because your distinction between two types of marketing is fundamental to the series, which is the story of how the second type was discovered and triumphed over the first. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151&hl=en# http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151&...
  - jacquesm 17y ago
    I haven't but I definitely will. Thanks for the link.
- hga 17y ago
  It's worth emphasizing that "where people are informed about a product" is particularly critical for us when the product is a "new thing" and we have to educate people about what it is and why they need it. E.g. when I started in document imaging in 1991 it was just moving from the mainframe to PC domain and our salesmen spent a lot of time teaching potential customers. Nowadays if you buy a Windows PC and an all-in-one printer/fax/scanner you get it all for free.

3 points by amichail 17y ago

And if so, shouldn't rational thinkers speak out against the dangers of marketing? Why do atheists speak out against the dangers of the "God virus" but not against the dangers of marketing?

SwellJoe 17y ago

Bill Hicks had something to say on the subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo

jacquesm 17y ago

Viral marketing is, 'regular' marketing can be divided in to two branches, one where people are informed about a product and left to draw their own conclusions, and another - much less ethical one - where marketing is used a means of influencing decisions people make in general. The latter I have a real problem with. SwellJoe has already posted Bill Hicks, let me contribute this little gem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi63rXnuWbw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi63rXnuWbw

gruseom 17y ago
Have you seen Adam Curtis' documentary "Century of the Self"? If not, I'm pretty sure you would like it. I'm only partway through, but it's already filled in a number of blanks for me as to how we got where we are. (Edit: to be specific, the stuff in part 1 about Edward Bernays and the psychoanalytic roots of modern PR is riveting.) I mention it because your distinction between two types of marketing is fundamental to the series, which is the story of how the second type was discovered and triumphed over the first. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151&hl=en# http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151&...
- jacquesm 17y ago
  I haven't but I definitely will. Thanks for the link.
hga 17y ago
It's worth emphasizing that "where people are informed about a product" is particularly critical for us when the product is a "new thing" and we have to educate people about what it is and why they need it. E.g. when I started in document imaging in 1991 it was just moving from the mainframe to PC domain and our salesmen spent a lot of time teaching potential customers. Nowadays if you buy a Windows PC and an all-in-one printer/fax/scanner you get it all for free.