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When did we have a functioning economy without ads? Was it the 1980's when some of the most classic children's shows were 30 minute commercials for toys? Was it
by tpmoney 9mo ago
When did we have a functioning economy without ads? Was it the 1980's when some of the most classic children's shows were 30 minute commercials for toys? Was it the 1960s when Charles Schultz was lamenting the commercialization of Christmas in the Charlier Brown special? Maybe the 1910's when Uncle Sam famously wanted you to join the army? Was it the 1890's when Montgomery Ward and Sears were sending out mail order catalogs? Was it the 1860's when you could learn that "The Best Glass of Ale In the Globe" was available at Isabella Nesbitt's Inn[1]? Town criers and traveling medicine shows date back to at least the 1700's.
Less intrusive ads? Less frequent ads? Sure I can get behind that (though, I can turn off a TV, can't turn off the town crier). But ads have been a part of us since the first person with something to sell wanted to sell it.
[1]: https://bailiffgatecollections.co.uk/gallery-category/victorian-advertisements/ https://bailiffgatecollections.co.uk/gallery-category/victor...
- Dylan16807 9mo agoThey said "ad companies" not the entire concept of ads.
- tpmoney 9mo agoWhat is an "ad company" though? If it's someone you pay to advertise your product for you, well that's something town criers often did for merchants so "ad companies" are at least that old.
- Dylan16807 9mo agoI don't know exactly what definition they meant, but I'm confident that a crier doesn't count as an ad company.
- thaumasiotes 9mo agoGeez, if you think people don't like banner ads or billboards, you should see what they think of town criers.
- Dylan16807 9mo agoCriers are expensive. And I'd say that mattress shop guy qualifies and he doesn't bother me that much. I would happily take a deal that gets rid of all tv and video ads and replaces them with as many independent criers as companies are willing to pay.
- tpmoney 9mo agoI will note we effectively have that law already for political text spam. No robo-texting it has to come from a “real” person. Doesn’t seem to have changed the amount of text spam I get, they just all start with “This is Bob from People Against Things …” You could probably hire a lot of “town criers” on fiver for the cost of a 30 second TV spot.
- Dylan16807 9mo agoWhen I say I would accept town criers to get rid of those ads I mean literal town criers. Not people sending me mail, email, texts, or calls. People being kinda loud and/or holding up big signs in public places. They can offer me a flyer when I walk by, I suppose.
- tpmoney 9mo agoSure I get it. I just don't think your annoyance level is going to go down that much. It wont take many sign twirlers on every corner, or people driving up and down your neighborhood at all hours of the day with a "ad truck" to be more annoying than the worst of youtube's advertising. Imagine if every fedex or ups truck and amazon van you see was also blaring a loud speaker advertising businesses. Door to door salesmen are less prevalent because other forms of advertising are cheaper, but if you can't do those other forms of advertising, door to door becomes economically competitive again. I'm pretty sure a "town criers only" world would be significantly more grating and annoying than you think. Imagine "liberty tax" sign holders during tax season, but all the businesses and all the time.
- 9mo ago