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30-Second Seduction: How Advertisers Lure Women Through Flattery, Flirtation, and Manipulation
Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to one type of cereal over another or why you think of that model with the gorgeous skin when you are buying a bottle of lotion?
You are being seduced by the advertising industry. Every consumer choice you make—from what soap to buy to which car to drive—has been influenced by advertising.
In 30-Second Seduction author and Marketplace reporter Andrea Gardner focuses on the many ways that advertising targets women and how those ads affect decisions, purchases, and everyday life.
When writing 30-Second Seduction, Andrea interviewed a handful of women from diverse backgrounds, of all ages, and from different parts of the U.S. to uncover how advertising impacts every woman in different ways—from their reactions to specific ads to the television ads they found most memorable and what brands they bought recently. She also talks to marketing professionals from companies like Dove, Kimberly Clark, Lee, and Proctor Gamble to find out how they are seeking to break through the ad clutter and enchant women. Ultimately, Andrea argues that advertising isn’t a bad thing for women. It is important for women to be informed, objective buyers.
You are being seduced by the advertising industry. Every consumer choice you make—from what soap to buy to which car to drive—has been influenced by advertising.
In 30-Second Seduction author and Marketplace reporter Andrea Gardner focuses on the many ways that advertising targets women and how those ads affect decisions, purchases, and everyday life.
When writing 30-Second Seduction, Andrea interviewed a handful of women from diverse backgrounds, of all ages, and from different parts of the U.S. to uncover how advertising impacts every woman in different ways—from their reactions to specific ads to the television ads they found most memorable and what brands they bought recently. She also talks to marketing professionals from companies like Dove, Kimberly Clark, Lee, and Proctor Gamble to find out how they are seeking to break through the ad clutter and enchant women. Ultimately, Andrea argues that advertising isn’t a bad thing for women. It is important for women to be informed, objective buyers.
- GenresFeminismNonfiction
220 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2008
3 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 25, 2014
Picked this up because I thought it would be helpful in my new job. Advertising is sometimes really all about manipulation- and it is important to know about these techniques, no matter if you’re going to use them or not. Interesting stuff about psychology, sociologists reading trends and all.
Read about how advertising puts so much pressure on women- how we have to juggle so many things and to be ‘perfect’. In the end the book really eats at me because I have been influenced. Nobody is spared from the media deluge today.
The book addresses things I want to know- How the hell are you supposed to market your beauty product when you’re encouraging people to ‘be themselves, be authentic’ and things like that? “After all, advertising feeds on fears and insecurity.” And empowering women through ads does not necessarily convert into sales, though yes, people will like your brand. In the end there’s this huge dilemma and things get really crazy.
"The fraying of social trust"- can you trust your friends when they might be involved in trying to sell you something?
In the end being authentic and real is still very important in a world where everyone wants to be somebody else. Gulp.
Read about how advertising puts so much pressure on women- how we have to juggle so many things and to be ‘perfect’. In the end the book really eats at me because I have been influenced. Nobody is spared from the media deluge today.
The book addresses things I want to know- How the hell are you supposed to market your beauty product when you’re encouraging people to ‘be themselves, be authentic’ and things like that? “After all, advertising feeds on fears and insecurity.” And empowering women through ads does not necessarily convert into sales, though yes, people will like your brand. In the end there’s this huge dilemma and things get really crazy.
"The fraying of social trust"- can you trust your friends when they might be involved in trying to sell you something?
In the end being authentic and real is still very important in a world where everyone wants to be somebody else. Gulp.
January 18, 2009
Coming from a former NPR correspondent, I truly expected more from this book and was let down at the rather cursory analysis of advertising directed towards women. It focused predominantly on the ads themselves, the strategies behind them, and women's opinions of them, without much discussion of the topics you think would follow naturally -- issues of sexism in advertising, gender roles, etc. But then maybe I'm biased, already having a background in marketing and media criticism. But, I would still recommend this book to those looking for a fast-reading primer on some of the sneaky marketing tactics used to target women.
December 14, 2010
As an introduction to advertising and target marketing, 30 Second Seduction is educational. However, Gardner is a marketing expert, not a feminist. This lack of perspective is the ghost that haunts the reader who is looking for a deeper sociological analysis.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews