Do people see through the manipulation?

Breaking marketing down into its simplest form is, “buy mine, not theirs.” The idea is simple but not easy. For many years, marketers used different tactics to sway or manipulate customers. Tactics from bad-mouthing competitors to giving the illusion that their brand supports certain social movements or political parties. Building a connection between the brand and customer is important for earnings and revenue….even if it’s fictional. However, it does seem to work. Certain advertisements are obvious and boost sales simultaneously. Advertisements such as this:

Clearly these brands exaggerate the shortcomings of their competitors but it reflects a temporary increase in sales.

Companies also take to social media for support. Certain movements and political parties are shown support by a few hashtags or minor donations. It’s almost no different from investing in R&D or buying out small companies. It is seen as an investment today for a payoff down the line. Do people really buy into this? Sure, there are some companies out there that really do support certain groups, but it seems as though there is no fact checking or confirming going on.

To be completely honest, some of these larger companies only have to tag a hot topic or make a donation of $100k to gain support and artificially lift sales. That sounds like a great approach actually. I understand that many people would like to believe that good, honest, hardworking people truly want what’s best for society. However, just remember, if it doesn’t require much of an effort other than playing to people’s emotions…..that’s a very small price to pay. I’ll hashtag whatever the next social movement is and donate money to their respective groups for the rest of the year. Understand that I am not insinuating that all marketers and companies are manipulators. I’m just curious to know if people see through their manipulative tactics.