Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Marketing spin vs ethical frameworks

"In shopping-mall design, the Gruen transfer is the moment when consumers enter a shopping mall and, surrounded by an intentionally confusing layout, lose track of their original intentions" (and become impulse buyers). (Wikipedia.)

The TV show Gruen Planet investigates advertising spin and in the past I have sometimes found it  amusing. The other night though they talked about Alan Jones and his recent nasty, sexist and demeaning comments about the Prime Minister and her recently deceased father. I was amazed that the participants didn't seem to have the guts to come out and say such gutter-comments are unworthy of a civilised society. Instead they dissembled and skirted around the subject, commenting instead about how Jones's audience is reacting.  It was almost as if it is un-cool to have an ethical framework and stand up for it.

Perhaps I should not be surprised as they are marketing people after all but I wonder, has everyone in advertising been so indoctrinated that they have lost their moral fiber? I wont be watching the program again if I can avoid it. I guess I am not very interested in a world where everything is spin.

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