There’s a billboard up ahead, a roadside sign full of language and imagery. You become emotionally distracted, and guess what happens next?
One researcher has discovered that language used on billboards can provoke an emotional response that affects our driving abilities. And whether the words have a negative or positive connotation seems to determine whether the attention wanders or the foot gets heavier.
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Billboards advertising fast food may inspire people to eat more, and thus gain weight. Advertisers are careful not to place billboards advertising cigarettes or liquor too close to schools, but fat people are everywhere, so there’s no way to regulate these ads.
A team of researchers walked around Los Angeles and New Orleans, noting every outdoor advertisement they saw. When they compared the height and weight of over 2,000 residents in these locations, after paying them to answer a telephone survey, they found that for every 10% increase in food ads, the odds of being obese increased by 5%.
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You may have noticed more TV ads lately–about medicines, etc.–that are obviously aimed at older viewers. Is this because they have more money than younger viewers, many of whom are out of work? Or could it be because their aging brains make them vulnerable?
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They’re spying on us again (NOTE: subscribers can still listen to this show). Will there be no relief from what seems to be the end of privacy?
The ads you receive in your email spam are already selected to reflect your browsing and buying patterns, but now Microsoft wants to go even farther–they want to add your EMOTIONS to the mix.
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