The title of this spot.com.mentary installment is that of a seminal book by Vance Packard. Released in 1957, The Hidden Persuaders contended that a significant percentage of advertising was insidiously manipulative, deploying consumer motivational research and other psychological techniques, including subliminal messaging. “Many of us are being influenced and manipulated, far more than we realize, in the patterns of our everyday lives,” wrote Packard who passed away in Dec. 1996. He compared motivational research to “the chilling world of George Orwell and his Big Brother.”
The Hidden Persuaders was on The New York Times bestseller list for a full year. It was both praised and criticized, the latter coming primarily from the ad industry which claimed that motivational research helped advertisers and marketers better serve the public at large. Ad biz leaders denied the use of subliminal communication in the peddling of products and services.
But Packard stuck to his guns, particularly concerned over how politicians were being promoted to the electorate through unscrupulous marketing and advertising.
Now more than 50 years later, Packard’s concerns have been fueled further by a new generation of hidden persuaders spawned by the 2010 Supreme Court ruling dubbed Citizens United. The high court decision cleared the way for companies, unions and other special interest groups to spend unlimited funds to try to influence elections, often using money from anonymous donors.
According to an Associated Press report, independent groups that did not disclose the identity of their donors spent $132.5 million to influence elections nationwide last year, accounting for about one-third of all spending by outside groups in the 2010 election cycle. Anonymous or unlimited corporate spending represented 15% of all federal political spending in 2010. Such spending amounted to some $85 million in Senate races, $40 million of which went to the 10 most expensive contests. Ads paid for by groups soliciting anonymous donors were more likely to be negative than those paid for by groups that disclosed donors.
Groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees took advantage of the new rules, spending tens of millions of dollars on campaign ads in races across the U.S. Other groups formed expressly to make use of the new rules spent big bucks as well.
However, heavy spending by groups under the Citizens United ruling did not ensure victory. In three of the most expensive Senate races, candidates won despite heavy Citizens United-spawned spending directed against them.
The Supreme Court decision was based on freedom of speech protection for corporations. I’m all for freedom of speech, as long as I know who’s speaking.
In mainstream advertising, the public knows who’s behind an ad and can judge those brands and their messages accordingly, with people making their buying decisions as they see fit. Even the most manipulative ads critiqued by Packard had a readily identifiable advertiser. Now what’s “hidden” in the political ad arena extends all the way to the sponsors themselves.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Reach Divorce Settlement After 8 Years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood's most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause... Read More