Most of us start noticing advertisements as kids. Our first
exposure to the world of advertising is TV. Kids don’t realize
they’re being enticed into buying a product, all they see is their
peers having fun.
Most of us start noticing advertisements as kids. Our first exposure to the world of advertising is TV. Kids don’t realize they’re being enticed into buying a product, all they see is their peers having fun.
Once kids learn to read, they graduate to print ads, and by far the best ads can be found in the back of comic books.
Instead of trying to sell readers the hottest new toy, comic book ads are filled with the unusual. And no matter how sophisticated today’s kids seem, they are still attracted to the same advertising gimmicks that caught the attention of their parents and grandparents.
Who can resist living creatures that grow from colored rocks or whoopee cushions, inexpensive walkie-talkies that can be heard for miles, or everyone’s favorite the X-ray vision glasses? What childhood is complete without buying at least one of these products?
The fact the products didn’t actually do what we thought was always a disappointment. However, out of curiosity more than anything, I found myself scanning the ads in the back of some of today’s current magazines. Even in non-romantic electronic magazines, enhancing your love life is very popular. According to advertisers, there are a number of ways to bring sizzle back into life. Ignoring these ads is an almost impossible task.
It seems as if a lot of people have the title of “Dr.” which makes them experts in print. Readers never know what the doctorate is in. Everyone from the local pharmacist to the back country witch doctor has just the thing to make your love life better.
I found myself intrigued by all the products aimed directly at those do-it-yourself types. Did you know that you can do everything from building and installing your own air-conditioner or heater to rewiring your own home? You can become a famous singer, buy and start your own sawmill business, build your own custom car or two-seat bike that drives like a car, put up your own steel building, build your own hot air balloon, helicopter, glider, fishing boat or log cabin, all with the help of videos or easy-to-read blueprints.
You don’t have to spend hours going to college to get that career you’ve always wanted. In these ads, opportunities abound. It’s easy to make millions repairing vinyl or cracked windshields. How about opening your own detective agency with the latest state of the art detecting devices – all at a reasonable cost).
Interested is staying healthy? Want ads will sell you everything from super vitamins, herbs used by the ancient Chinese (who by chance are still around to sell you their products), water purification systems, and the ultimate cure for baldness. Can’t hear well? Don’t bother going to the doctor, just pick up the phone and send for the one-size-fits-all hearing aids.
Inventors should never despair their invention won’t reach the general public. There are countless companies willing (for a fee) to help you get your invention on the market.
Reading through these advertisements was rather like taking a step back to childhood. As long as people have imaginations and are willing to take that leap of faith, there are bound to be those wonderfully creative advertisements in the backs of magazines and comic books.
Cindy Brown is a Free Lance correspondent. Her column appears every Monday.
