For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
“Must-have” … “Season’s hottest” … “Now trending”
There are so many phrases used in the advertising around me that I have started to become numb to them. I walked through Target a few weeks ago, and I love Target as much as the next girl, but I counted the number of times I saw the words “must-have” in their large signs and I was sort of appalled.
Who decides what the “must-have” items are? And why are they “must-haves?” And now that I know that I “must have” them, how can I go on without them?
I’ve worked in marketing most of my career, so I know there is a need for it and that there are good and bad ways to go about it.
Marketing changed the game for companies selling products and services with traditional sales tactics like cold calls and door-to-door. By running ads online, in print, on the radio, or on television, companies can reach the masses.
Online advertising can even be so personalized these days that good companies can grow, and we as consumers are shown solutions to real problems we experience.
The trick is having enough awareness as a consumer to know when the marketing story is luring us into a narrative that may not be our truth.
Here are four ways you can recognize marketing tactics and set boundaries for yourself.
The term media literacy was coined to describe this new language that we all interact with daily. Media can be digital or not (newspapers, signs, etc.) and it can be in so many surprising places (bathroom stalls, book covers, etc.).
First, identify what media channels you consume and what messages are trying to get through to you. Marketing messages (much like blog titles) are usually direct and to the point. They make a statement or tell a story that evokes some sort of emotional reaction from you to make you agree, laugh, argue, and eventually make a purchase or book a service.
If you can see these messages for what they are, that’s a great start. (Colossians 3:23)
Over the years I realize what an important skill this is. Critical thinking is when you question, analyze, or evaluate something that forces you to discern and identify your own opinion about it.
That marketing message you’re looking at was written by a person hired by a company to sell more product or service to create more profit for that company than the investment it took to hire said person. That’s it. “Money makes the world go ‘round,” as they say.
Marketers and salespeople are not trying to lie to you, the product you’re seeing likely would make your life easier or more fun, but it’s up to you to think critically about whether it fits into your budget, goals, lifestyle, headspace, and all the other factors that go into making a purchase for you. (Ephesians 5:17)
If you’re having trouble developing this skill when it comes to ads, you might consider limiting your exposure while you work on it. There are ad-blocking tools you can use (like this one for Chrome) that will reduce the number of ads you see online.
When that ad you see entices you and you find yourself suddenly pulling out your credit card, just sit back and do a check-in with yourself.
Is this purchase something I want or need? Does it align with my personal values?
And most importantly, am I going to remember what I ordered when a box arrives at my door? IYKYK 😉
Essentially, do yourself a favor and pause long enough to think twice. (Colossians 3:2)
I was talking with a friend recently about the strangely specific ads she’s been seeing on her devices, and she made one really interesting point. While the ads we see are getting more and more specific to our interests, which can be useful, it’s also creating a closed-loop system on the information we’re receiving.
Make sure you’re not leaving it to chance that you have all the information. Put in a little work to research and make sure you have all the information before making big decisions. Your media may be tailored to your own perspectives and lifestyle, which can pretty quickly distort reality. (Romans 12:2)
Marketing is all around us in everything we see and do, which is why it is so important that we are mindful of the messages we’re receiving.
Dear Jesus,
Grant me wisdom and discernment as I navigate the constant flow of media and marketing I come into contact with.
Help me to be a mindful consumer, aware of the messages I’m receiving and their impact on my heart and mind.
When faced with material temptation, remind me of the lasting treasures found in Your Word and in relationship with You.
Help me to be a good steward of my time and attention, focusing on that which truly matters in light of eternity.
Amen.
Lauren is a founder of For This House. She is passionate about living authentically for Christ both personally and professionally. Lauren lives in British Columbia with her family of boys. She enjoys nature walks, quality time with family, and catching up with friends over cold brew (or sometimes a little tequila).