Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : AUTOHOME, Inc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Solid who wrote (16688)	11/4/1999 3:21:00 PM
From: ld5030	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29970

Ot-advertising discussion. I really respect your knowledge of neurology, but you place too much faith in science. A scientist can hook up sensors to your brain and stimulate you with sounds and images and log the data, but does that mean he(she) really knows you? Consider only the time element. The same image that was appetizing when you were hungry now makes you repulsed after Thanksgiving Dinner. The image that you thought sexy in your twenties you find trashy and offensive in your fifties. Consider repetition. Those cute Budweiser frogs become increasingly annoying with airplay. Their jokes are staler than my own. Neurology, like any other science, must describe empirical phenomena with theoretical models. These models become increasingly complex and refined to truly model behavior (human or physical). But to truly answer the question "Why?" is a question for Metaphysics and not Physics. No matter how good your model is, you have to begin with unanswered first principles. This, I believe, is called Hume's Razor. No one really knows why the flower grows. People become confused here because the models are so complex and incomprehensible; people assign more meaning to them than exists. If Neurologists could truly figure out the "why" we might all be manipulated puppets at their command. You are right that a good ad catches and keeps our attention, but human beings are complex, ever changing targets that are not so easily manipulated. Sex may sell, but what kind of sex and what mood are you in? Human beings are incredibly diverse in their sexual behavior. If Wilt Chamberlain were still here he would explain it. That being said, advertising does have its place in bringing latent desire to the fore. We're not trying to trick people into buying what they do not want. Why fight an uphill battle selling ice to eskimos? The real question is how to find the consumer with the latent desire without invading his privacy. Since one of the main appeals of the web is shopping, the consumer may come to you. This doesn't help ATHM much because they don't get a cut when you find the seller on your own. Consumers in their hearts really want to buy things and sellers want to sell things. If you let the online consumer configure their environment, shopping and all, you might bring buyer and seller together in a more efficient manner. How about a button that lets you choose which banner ads you want? I'm never going to change my online broker, so why is Datek wasting their time on me? I want ads for the stuff I buy: snow shoes, string cheese, miniature toy soldiers, motor homes, etc. I should be able to pick this. That's interesting stuff about the Greeks. Did they advertise on stone tablets? I guess Joe Camel was not welcome there either. <<Your Id5030 makes me think, fondly of 'Forbidden Planet' 1956 with Morbius and the creatures from the id.>> LD50/30 is a term for population decimation during nuclear radiation accidents. I always thought it would be a cool name for a heavy metal band. Those tight leather pants always gave me a chafe, but hey, if you want to hit the high notes....