How dare that Commercial Isn't Targeted Towards Me

I recognize I am different from most people. Although sometimes I can tend to mistakenly view myself as representational, I understand that many of my likes and dislikes don't quite mesh with those around me. I also understand that the vast majority of commercials don't really target me.

However, that understanding didn't come about overnight. Before I went to college, I rarely thought about the target audience of commercials. Once I started marketing classes, however, I became better attuned to the ideas of targeted marketing. Instead of viewing commercials as being out of touch, I realized that more likely the commercials were just targeting someone else, and I was just an innocent bystander.

I must admit that some ads certainly are targeted to me, or at least to people who are somewhat like me. A good example of these select ads are the "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC ads", although Master Hobo Chronicler John Hodgman could probably sell adult diapers if he wished it to be so. I suppose certain restaurant ads get me as well, with the exception of that horrible pit known as Applebees. Ads for Movies and television shows that I am already looking forward to can sometimes generate additional interest, so I suppose i am in the target audience for those commercials. But other than that, I can't say most ads are targeted towards me.

Of course sometimes I question whether or not ads are targeted properly. For example, I understand showing ads for old people scooters and medical alert bracelets on The History Channel. The target age of that channel is about 69, so it makes sense. What doesn't make sense, however, is when the same commercials are aired during an episode of Venture Brothers. I suppose some old people might accidentally get stuck on Cartoon Network, but those that do are asleep or not your typical senior citizen. I'm guessing those are value added throw-ins for companies who buy ads during Larry King Live and the latest drama being shown on TNT.

Anyway, the days of massive ad buys with broad audiences are gone, or at least limited to things such as the Super Bowl. In this era of cable networks, internet fueled sub-niches of geekery and obsession, and readily available microbrews and diverse foodshops, every target audience has gotten smaller. I suppose someday it might be possible to have target audiences of one. And on that day, advertising may finally really get to me.