Don't Follow Your Dreams.

[McBrain]

I read this in The Age on Saturday:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/follow-your-dreams-forget-the-debt/2007/11/09/1194329513908.html

On one level it's about a tv ad for NAB which isn't obviously about a bank until the end of the ad. On another level it's basically the author telling us to forget any ambition we may have, don't belive in yourself, you're probably not going to be successful and how dare NAB try to pep-us up into beliveing we can acheive what we want.

At what point does an assurance that any goal is attainable begin to foster expectations that can't be fulfilled? It is a question in need of an answer, not only because the hopes of many individuals and families may be dashed, but because our debt-driven prosperity may begin to unravel, too.

To me, this stinks of trying to perpetuate the 'victim' mentatility. Don't take responsibility for your financial wellbeing, don't have an ambition, a goal. If you try to succed and you fail - it will be the bank's fault for encouraging you.

I'm not saying that I think NAB are a great institution or anything, but good on them for providing a bit of vision, even if it is to promote their product. My real gripe is with the victim author who wants to bring everyone else down to his level of non-ambition.

Here's another great quote:

Most of this borrowing has been channelled into home loans, helping to keep house prices up, rather than into productive investment.

I often wonder if these businees/investment writers have a clue about the subject at all.

 

[steveadl]

I haven't seen this particular ad, however many companies do that type of marketing these days. The ads are there to entertain, make us laugh, encourage emotional reactions etc. This in turn keeps their brand name in our head, and encourages brand awareness.

This ad sounds more interesting than just seeing the inisde of a bank branch with the stereotypical loans agent helping out a young couple, everyone with big cheesey grins smiling gleefully, shaking hands etc. Or just a boring ad that documents NAB's low interst rate and honeymoon rates, low fees etc. on a black screen with facts printed across.

Good on em for mixing it up a bit!

 

[duncan_m]

To me, this stinks of trying to perpetuate the 'victim' mentatility. Don't take responsibility for your financial wellbeing, don't have an ambition, a goal. If you try to succed and you fail - it will be the bank's fault for encouraging you.

There's actually some merit in that mentality.. In our society we have too many people lusting after goals that relentless and vicious advertising has convinced them really will make them happy.. And, as a result of this, so few people really stop to look back over their life at the times, and moments, when they REALLY were happiest and to analyse what it is that really WOULD make them happy moving forward..

We surrender our happiness to the goals and aspirations that advertisers deem will make money for them. As a society, lusting after a material lifestyle is the accepted path to happiness.. despite the wealth of philosophical examination and research that knows that path will fail. And Banks, of course, want to be in on that action by funding the debt to support it.

The most insidiously evil part of this phenomenon is that most people won't attain the lifestyle they naively seek and will sink further into unhappiness as they morosely notch up yet another "failure"..

We have a behemoth of corporations and banks that have a vested interest in fueling unhappiness.. that article in some small way is attempting to defuse that situation a little. If anything the article could have had a better title of "Follow YOUR dreams, forget THEIR dreams".. We have a society of people following dreams manufactured on their behalf and implanted through advertising.

 

[Patosan]

If anything the article could have had a better title of "Follow YOUR dreams, forget THEIR dreams".. We have a society of people following dreams manufactured on their behalf and implanted through advertising.

Well put Duncan.

 

[aaarghhh]

Hello people.

It's just another bank ad. Shareholders want NAB to have more profits. Let them do their ads with mountains and yeti's and stuff. They obviously work, it got somersoft people to comment on it.

I remember a quote from something I read ages ago : " There is no such thing as bad advertsing. As long as they spell you name correctly."

 

[evand]

You dream stealer Duncan!!

Actually i really enjoy reading your articulate, contrarian posts. You add a sense of insight, & balance to a 'slightly biased' forum.