This post is by associate Triage Practitioner, and guest blogger, Matthew Savage
Most of us believe we are free to choose what we buy and what media we consume on a daily basis. However, is this really the case? Advertising is almost inescapable for almost every human on the planet today and we are now the generation who view more advertisements on a daily basis than any other in history. Digital advertising now takes over 60% of global advertising expenditure, with social media alone expected to receive more global share than TV in 2022 (Zenith, 2021).
Most of this revenue goes through just three companies (Facebook, Google and Amazon), with 70% of all advertising expenditure making its way into their pockets. And, with such a huge slice going to only three companies, this means they hold the power to show us what they want to, reducing our choices without us knowing about it. But what are the tricks of the advertising trade that make us want to buy? And how can we limit advertisings effects on our behaviour?
The Advertising Industry
Advertising can be traced back to 2000 BC, with papaya being used to create posters and flyers and in 79 AD, with wall murals discovered in the ashes of Pompeii declaring a bar would make you “as happy as a phoenix” (Campaign, 2015). However, as soon as the printing press was developed, advertising started to really develop. The first ads ran in newspapers and magazines across the world, from London to Venice, and the growth of a consumer society which developed along with the industrial revolution led to an expansion of the advertising industry. Newspapers dominated until the invention of the TV with the first UK TV advert running in 1955, a wonderful one-minute advert for Unilevers Gibbs SR Toothpaste (Reilly, 2016). Despite these changes, advertising has always been concerned with reaching a wide audience, something which is known as “eyeballs”, “households” or “unique users” in today’s industry.
Reach and frequency are two well-known terms which are important in advertising campaigns, with reach being the amount of people who see the advert and frequency the number of times an individual will see the same ad. Although many different theories exist, most marketing experts suggest that an individual must see an ad five to seven times before they will start to remember it, and even more before they will potentially purchase, meaning frequency is extremely important (Neilson, 2017). As the advertising industry continues to become more and more sophisticated, it has become easier to hit people with adverts that are tailored to individual behaviours and desires, and to hit frequency targets by tracking consumers across multiple devices. The smartphone has, of course, been a big target for these companies.
How has Smartphone Technology Changed Advertising?
In a world where over 6 billion smartphone subscriptions exist (O’Dea, 2021) and over 85% of the UK population own a smartphone (Strugar, 2022), it is no wonder advertising companies and corporations are using this to their advantage. Advertising can now be served to a consumer across all devices which are connected to the internet and consumers can be effectively tracked in their daily lives. Ads can now be served across devices, creating a consumer journey, profile and reams of data which, when combined with psychological methods, can be exploited by advertising companies to increase engagement and, ultimately, revenue for their client. Smartphones have allowed advertising agencies to personalise the ads they serve in a number of different ways:
Geofencing and geotargeting – Companies can use the location settings and GPS on mobile devices to know where you are and what your routines are based on virtual boundaries. Once a consumer enters a certain boundary, that consumer may be served notifications, coupons, or other things to try and get them to act in a particular way. For example, if a person enters a restaurant, a competitor may serve the customer a coupon to entice them over to their location. In addition to this, the technology can be used by smart appliances, with your fridge sending you a notification to let you know you are out of milk (White, 2017) or turning the thermostat on when you get close to your home. Whilst the latter may sound useful, many believe the former can be an invasion of privacy and often collects more data than intended leading to frighteningly accurate consumer profiles.
Behavioural targeting – This is targeting based on an individual’s browsing data, search history, purchase history, links clicked and location, leading to ads being served based on a consumer profile. These can be extremely in-depth, and many consumers will be enticed by products that companies know they will be tempted by.
Predictive targeting – Powered by artificial intelligence, data is plugged into an algorithm that will then predict a consumer’s potential for future purchases and will re-target ads to them based on these predictions. Think of someone watching your behaviour daily; what you buy, where you go and what you enjoy, and then using this information to offer you a product that they know you are interested in. Companies like Facebook can even use these techniques to predict what content you will interact with, giving them the power to serve you content that may reinforce or change your opinions in some way.
Ad stitching – This involves stitching both advert and media content (such as an episode of your favourite program) together, instead of these being served by two different servers. This allows for advertisers to personalise the ad message, to add different content for different locations and ensure their ad does not get blocked by ad blockers.
How can we Limit Advertisings Effects on our Behaviour?
The above are just a few examples of how your personal data is collected and used by advertising companies to manipulate your behaviour. However, if we are aware of the tricks of the trade, we can then consider them when viewing an ad or a piece of content. The things we must be aware of are as follows:
Location settings – Check location settings on all devices and any new apps you download. Often opting into location services on your device will allow the app or company to track your movement, spot you entering geofenced areas and target you with notifications and adverts, changing your behaviour. Also consider a VPN, something which hides your IP address so geofencing cannot occur.
Deficit advertising and other emotional hooks – This is a psychological technique used to make an individual feel inadequate or less desirable if they do not own a particular product. Be aware of how advertisements can make you feel as emotional hooks are used regularly on consumers. Consider that a “limited time only” deal is preying on your fear of missing out, the image of fun is often used to show people what they are missing out on, or a problem can be created that you never knew was an issue, such as discussing a health problem.
Native advertising – This is a form of advertising that fits the form and function of the platform it is delivered on. As an example, Facebook native ads will appear in your news feed, often appearing as a piece of editorial content which may mislead you into thinking it is not an advertisement. This content can be looking to sell a product covertly, or it may be simply trying to plant an idea or emotion in your psyche. To combat this, always check the source of the content you are consuming and consider why it has appeared on your newsfeed.
Be aware you are being targeted – Understanding that most ads, much of the content and even most social influences will be targeting consumers in some way. Although you may have opted to follow a particular influencer or page, this alone will contribute to the wider behavioural and demographic profile that companies hold on us as individuals. Many social influences, films and shows will endorse products through product placement and positive reviews, and these will feel more believable and convincing due to the trust many people will put into such icons. This then leads to purchases based on recommendations. Be aware that social influencers are mainly funded by advertisement so ask yourself why would they want to be affiliated with that product?
Conclusion
Advertising is all around us and is only set to grow over the coming years. It is likely the industry will continue to come up with new ways of encouraging consumers to part with their cash, with consumer data continuing to be a prized asset for the industry. However, being aware of the tricks and tools behind the industry can help you make more informed purchases, continue to make your own choices and help you understand what you are viewing, without falling prey to marketing tricks.
About Matt Savage
Matthew Savage is an associate Triage Practitioner, has an MSc in Psychology, is a qualified personal trainer, and has worked within the field of cognitive rehabilitation for 5 years. He is an FA qualified football coach, with a keen interest in moral behaviour and wellbeing within team sports.
References
Campaign Magazine (2015). History of Advertising. Available online at: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/history-advertising-no-142-pompeii-penis/1357977
Neilson online (2017). Understanding Memory in Advertising. Available online at: https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/report/2017/understanding-memory-in-advertising/
Reilly, L (2016). This was the first ad ever to air on UK TV — here's the story behind it. Available online at: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-first-ever-uk-tv-ad-2016-2?r=US&IR=T
Stugar, M (2022). Smartphone Usage Statistics for the UK. Available online at: https://cybercrew.uk/blog/smartphone-usage-statistics-uk/
White, S (2017). What is geofencing? Putting location to work. Available online at: https://www.cio.com/article/288810/geofencing-explained.html#:~:text=Geofencing%20is%20a%20location%2Dbased,location%2C%20known%20as%20a%20geofence.
Zenith Media (2022). Digital advertising to exceed 60% of global adspend in 2022. Available online at: https://www.zenithmedia.com/digital-advertising-to-exceed-60-of-global-adspend-in-2022/