Though the worst ones are the ones that use emotional manipulation, like making parents think a new minivan or a can of ground coffee will bring their family back together. I think the "play cool music with extreme visuals to make teenagers think we're cool" also qualifies for emotional manipulation, though it feels a bit less sinister. But the more I think about it, the less I feel like it is more sinister, since they are all preying on complex desires that they imply they will help with but can't really deliver on.

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I think the “play cool music with extreme visuals to make teenagers think we’re cool” also qualifies for emotional manipulation, though it feels a bit less sinister.

It's bit more sinister when you consider that they're emotionally manipulating children to buy their products. And they do this knowing that all they need to do is maintain branding to keep that teenager buying that product into adulthood, potentially for the rest of their lives. It's a get 'em while they're young and impressionable kind of approach.

It's all really fucked up when you think about it.

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Yeah, that's what I was getting at with the last bit: both are sinister, just one is more obvious than the other.