One thing they do that I tend to roll my eyes at is play a little pre-recorded drop, probably at least every ten minutes, that asks listeners to send a text message indicating whether they like or dislike the song currently playing, or want to hear it more or less. In a quieter, speedier tone, someone adds "text and data rates my apply."
I ignore it, but one day my kid called from the backseat, "Text like!" I told her instead that I would put the song on her playlist. She was satisfied. But every once in a while, she'll ask me again to text the radio station.
I know marketing is invasive. I know we see and hear more ads than we ever take in consciously. But still, it bugged me that this particular bit of marketing had worked so well on my kid, precisely because she didn't realize it was advertising. You're not supposed to.
See, if you text the radio station, my old community college psychology professor would tell you, you feel loyal to them. You've made yourself a part of the station's identity. You feel as though you're being self-serving ("I can make them stop playing that Adele song!"), but in fact, you're creating brand loyalty. That station "belongs" to you (hint: it doesn't).
And of course, they'll tell you the same thing: This is your station. We play what you tell us to. Which is kind of Prong Two of this marketing attack. First, they make you feel loyal. Then they advertise to you, telling you that they're responsive.
And of course, data and messaging rates may apply, so to add insult to injury, they're making you pay for the privilege of their cheap psychological ploy.
BUT FINE. FINE. I'm not going to text them, and other people can, and I'll try to explain it to my kid, but it's all fine.
But then, the other day, they had a new drop. It went something like this: "Our marketing department wanted us to do some expensive market research project. But we told them no; we'd rather answer to you, our listeners." Or some horseshit like that.
So wait. You're telling me that you're advertising to me with the "text like" drops, tricking me* into brand loyalty, using my* input to do market research, and making me* pay for it, and then you have the temerity to use THAT as its own ad? "Hey, we're fucking you six ways from Sunday on this whole advertising and market research thing, but doesn't it make us sound homey and alternative and grass-roots? We're actually marketing to you by telling you how we market to you, and we're doing it right now. And rightnow. And... now. Hey, could we get you to pay $20 for a sweatshirt with our logo, too? Then you could walk around in public advertising for us at your own expense. Could you friend us on Facebook so we can market to you while you check your phone on the toilet? When you text us, can we add you to a never-ending feed of announcements and reminders that are also advertisements?"
I'm not even sure they do that last thing, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised. And as to being homey and grassroots, everything is so corporate these days that I'd bet money this is just a new format they're trying in fifty markets across the country.
I am too lazy, so please read this as, "Yo Dawg, I heard you like advertisements, so I put an ad in your ad, so you can be marketed to while you're marketed to."
I realize I am uncharacteristically cranky about this, but advertising really does get on my tits, and although I can usually ignore it, it really seems like they're finding more, cleverer ways to force you to be advertised to. Want to watch a music video on YouTube? You have to sit through an ad first. Want to read the paper online? An ad swooshes over your text. Use a recipe? The audio of a commercial in the sidebar starts playing automatically. In the last week, I saw on Huffington Post the opportunity for readers to watch a "teaser" for a Superbowl commercial, but before it would play, you had to sit through an ad. Seriously? An ad to watch an ad for an ad?
What is this world coming to!? (see also) Kids these days! (and) Get off my lawn!
*And by me, I mean not me.