What would happen if any form of advertising was suddenly declared illegal?
In:
TV and going to the movies would get more expensive. Google and Facebook (and anything free online) would cease to be free. Smart TVs would cost a lot more. Anything that is supported or subsidized by ads changes to a real, direct cost to the end user.
Medications would get much cheaper. Anything that uses lots of ads to get sold gets cheaper and more targeted in sales.
Services and products that heavily rely on ads to influence and reach markets have to completely shift their model. I’m thinking of insurance, lawyers, fast food, drinks, junk food, etc., all have to move to a much more word of mouth model. Loopholes will be found to exploit this to the maximum with social media influences and celebrities.
It’s simple to presume all those in marketing would be out of jobs, but I don’t think that would be entirely true. Marketers and designers would shift efforts from creating and placing ads into making the product or service more appealing and something people will talk about and recommend.
Marketing concepts like “top of funnel” become less relevant. Concepts of “beacons”, “sparks”, and “viral” get way more relevant and scientific.
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