The Problem      

Retailers deploy massive amounts of advertising – spending over $800 per consumer last year.  As a result, Americans are drowning in interruptive advertising - over 3,000 message a day.  Twenty-one minutes an hour on television are commercials. Newspapers are 40% advertising. Direct mail has increased 16,285% in 50 years and now accounts for 50% of all ad spending. 

Jupiter Communications predicts we will receive over 900 Internet ad messages per day in 3 years. By the time the average American youth reaches the age of 20, he or she have been exposed to over a million TV commercials!

Not surprisingly, consumers are rebelling. Fifty-five million people have opted on to the Federal Government’s “no-call” telemarketing list.  TV remote controls and digital recording devices such as TiVo have seriously eroded the effectiveness of TV advertising.  Spam blocking software is being installed on millions of computers.  The threat of receiving more spam is keeping 52% of online shoppers from returning. 

According to a recent Yankelovich study, 60% of consumers have a much more negative opinion of marketing and advertising now than a few years ago; 61% feel the amount of marketing and advertising is out of control; and 65% feel constantly bombarded with too much marketing and advertising.