Episode 214: Medium unCoolers

January 17, 2023

Central Thesis

The episode argues that the introduction of advertising screens on refrigerator and freezer doors in retail stores represents a particularly egregious example of advertising's corrosive influence on everyday life, disrupting a simple, utilitarian act and prioritizing profit over genuine consumer needs.

Key Arguments

• Advertising Intervenes Unnecessarily: Jim contends that the screens insert an unwanted layer of mediation into the straightforward act of choosing a product. He sees it as solving a problem that never existed, actively worsening the shopping experience.
• Screens Prioritize Profit over Utility: The energy-saving rationale is dismissed as a smokescreen for the true motive increased advertising revenue. This highlights Jim's belief that ad-supported systems prioritize profits over user experience.
• Advertising Corrupts Inquiry: Jim suggests a conspiracy where the retail chain actively suppresses negative reviews of the screens online, manipulating search results to favor positive, likely incentivized, content from influencers. This illustrates his belief that advertising money corrupts objective information-gathering.
• "Retail Media Networks" Aggravate Consumers: Jim describes these screens as an attempt by corporations to add "high margin advertising to their stores," further highlighting how companies are prioritizing profit over customer needs and satisfaction.
• Media's Influence on Attention: Jim critiques Marshall McLuhan's concept of "cool" media, arguing that television is a "hot" medium due to its ability to engage and potentially threaten viewers.

Notable Passages

• "In the world of advertising, you are always going to be able to find someone who tries something that no one has tried before. Sometimes, it's a hit, and it becomes commonplace. That's rare, but it does happen."
• "We see advertisements literally everywhere, and now we have to see it on the cooler?"
• "I'd be quick to flip back to delivery. One comment compared it to fiction by... Always increasing the slide toward black mirror being full-on reality. And not just barely future dystopian hellscape sci-fi."
• "This is the future of retail and shopping...no motherfucker it is not."

Rhetorical Approach

Jim's approach is characterized by personal anecdote, satire, and a conversational tone. He uses personal experiences (the deli line anecdote, the childhood "film" obsession) to connect with the audience. He employs sarcasm and outrage to critique the screens and the motivations behind their implementation. He cites external sources (CNN article, Slashdot comments) to bolster his arguments and demonstrate the widespread frustration with this advertising strategy. He employs a conspiracy theory to express the possible suppression of negative commentary.

References

• References a previous episode with shout-out to listener Kevin.
• References the 1969 film Medium Cool and media theorist Marshall McLuhan.
• References the CNN article about the refrigerator screen rollout.
• References Slashdot commentary.