The Persuaders

The Persuaders is a great documentary that delves into the world of media and advertising. It first approached the topic by discussing how advertising functions today and one of my favorite quotes from the piece sums that idea up nicely: “Every effort to break through the clutter is just more clutter.” The idea that advertising creates this mass of information that a consumer must sift through to find what they are looking for feels incredibly accurate, and as that clutter builds, ads are becoming more and more outrageous and innovative.

One particular advertising campaign The Persuaders followed was that of the airline, Song. Song is a subsidiary of Delta airlines opening in one the worst markets at the absolute worst time. And yet the team surrounding Song was determined to make it work through advertising. What I found most interesting about the piece was how they geared it towards women. They highlighted comfort and minimal stress while flying, with the inclusion of a TV for every passenger and other such commodities. I felt that the language surrounding the company was a bit cult-ish, which is, as The Persuaders later discussed, kind of the point. Researchers have found that making a brand almost cult-like will garner a loyal following that will then attract more people who, ultimately, only want to be included. And yet Song did not quite have what it takes. Their advertising seemed to not go so well. Many were confused by the TV ad and did not know that Song was an airline at all. A mistake many companies make is overt product placement. Shoving a product in consumers’ faces is too abrasive and can send prospective consumers running, but Song’s approach of almost no product placement had just the same effect.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Persuaders and how it depicted advertising and its role in today’s society, though it did leave me questioning whether advertising is for the public’s benefit – to inform and teach and assist – or simply to hide the truth and entice idiots to buy products they don’t need.