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I disagree with you, I'm with Benjamin on this one. A purchasing decision is weighing pleasure against the pain of parting with funds. These ads generally don't

I disagree with you, I'm with Benjamin on this one. A purchasing decision is weighing pleasure against the pain of parting with funds. These ads generally don't do anything to invoke pleasure. They assume you've already decided how much pleasure you'll get from Netflix, or whatever the product is, and now are grappling to wrap your head around how much it will hurt to part with the funds. They choose a compulsory, daily purchase that many people make for a reason and I think Benjamin's arguments are totally valid. I think the psychology here is clearly "It's not enough money for you to think hard about dear, don't hurt your head with the math and just go for it". Absolutely it's telling the target that this is cheap enough to be an impulse buy that they don't need to think hard about. [Disclosure: Ridiculously happy Netflix customer since '98 or so.]

tankbot 13y ago
I am definitely on the side which thinks comparing purchases to a daily cup of coffee is bad. It evokes negative associations in me and I have to assume that it will in others, so it's not good marketing. I understand what they're trying to say, but it just feels like the wrong way to go about it. However, I really like the way you phrased it: "It's not enough money for you to think hard about dear, don't hurt your head with the math and just go for it." Drop the slightly condescending tone and I think that is a winner! "It's not enough money for you to think hard about it. Don't bother with the Math and just go for it!" I like this, for whatever reason. It's honest and direct?
- famousactress 13y ago
  The condescending tone was there because I find the tactic wildly condescending.
  - tankbot 13y ago
    I realize that. I just meant that, without the condescension, the way you summed it up actually sounded like a marketing statement I could connect with.
    - famousactress 13y ago
      Sure, but dollars to donuts your ad copy won't convert well. It comes too close to explaining the psychological exploit being used, which will unravel it's effectiveness.
- benjamincburns 13y ago
  It still reads with a very condescending tone to me. You're essentially telling me that you've made the decision for me with the implication that I'm not capable of doing it myself. It's even more condescending when we're quibbling over something so insignificant as to cost less than a cup of coffee. The honest and direct way to sell something is to sell the thing on its own merits, not to try to get me to short-circuit my own decision-making.

tankbot 13y ago

I am definitely on the side which thinks comparing purchases to a daily cup of coffee is bad. It evokes negative associations in me and I have to assume that it will in others, so it's not good marketing. I understand what they're trying to say, but it just feels like the wrong way to go about it. However, I really like the way you phrased it: "It's not enough money for you to think hard about dear, don't hurt your head with the math and just go for it." Drop the slightly condescending tone and I think that is a winner! "It's not enough money for you to think hard about it. Don't bother with the Math and just go for it!" I like this, for whatever reason. It's honest and direct?

famousactress 13y ago
The condescending tone was there because I find the tactic wildly condescending.
- tankbot 13y ago
  I realize that. I just meant that, without the condescension, the way you summed it up actually sounded like a marketing statement I could connect with.
  - famousactress 13y ago
    Sure, but dollars to donuts your ad copy won't convert well. It comes too close to explaining the psychological exploit being used, which will unravel it's effectiveness.
benjamincburns 13y ago
It still reads with a very condescending tone to me. You're essentially telling me that you've made the decision for me with the implication that I'm not capable of doing it myself. It's even more condescending when we're quibbling over something so insignificant as to cost less than a cup of coffee. The honest and direct way to sell something is to sell the thing on its own merits, not to try to get me to short-circuit my own decision-making.