I am no marketing professional, but it seems to me like a lot of companies, and government agencies, are wasting a ton of money on pointless advertisement.
For example:
1) I fail to see how a billboard saying “Thanks for being a designated driver” will motivate any drunk person to give up their keys.
2) What kind of drug-using teenager will stop using drugs because a TV commercial tells them it’s not cool?
Ok, seriously… If smoking weed will help me talk to our dog, I so want to some!
3) How does paying someone to dance around with a sign spark my interest to look at your home-for-sale?
4) A Hoodia ad on digg.com? Really? A bunch of internet geeks as a target audience for Hoodia?
5) And worst of all… Using TV commercials to advertise presidential candidates? I am going to guess that this form of advertising is actually very effective. However, it’s still pointless because it creates a society of ignorance and laziness where talking points and negative attacks become the basis for important decisions.