Friday 20 May 2016

Political advertising via

the phone network is a waste of time - at least for  us. 
We have now had three election campaign phone calls. The last one began something like, "This is.... and I am asking you...."
No, it was not you sir and I am not in the least bit interested in what you have to say here. I am reading the campaign websites. I don't vote on the basis of an automated phone call. 
Do they really believe that works? Eldest and Youngest Nephews know something about the facts and figures in advertising and what works and what doesn't work. Of all that side advertising on websites on the 'net only about 0.004 people actually click on something they see there. 
Advertising is expensive too. Youngest Nephew was recently involved in one campaign which cost the company in question a million dollars - over just eight hours. That cost is spread across the product of course. Customers have to pay for it.
And nobody really knows how effective advertising is. 
I know I looked for the A-frame on the shop I visited to buy the presents earlier in the week. That told me the shop was open and that making the effort to cross a rather dangerous and busy road was worth it. But, I already knew where I was going and why and I wasn't doing it because of advertising. I didn't go to the shop because of advertising in the first place. I came across it by accident. 
All my best finds have been accidental. I will go searching for a specific item on the 'net. The Senior Cat needed something recently and it was useful to be able to sit down, type in search terms, and discover who was likely to supply the item locally. That is not the same as going to those sites because of advertising.
And political parties are the same. I don't go to a political party based on their advertising. I look at policies on websites. I think about the issues. I discuss issues. I have been known to write letters to politicians - perhaps more often than I should.
But I really don't want to listen to a recording. If the real politician cares to phone me I will talk to them. I will be a polite cat even if I violently disagree.
Just don't phone me when I am in the middle of making toast. I do not like burnt toast.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

They are wasting those calls here too!