Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Too much advertising: the Laffer curve and the social media

In the seventies the theory of the economist Arthur Laffer was very popular. One potential result of the Laffer model (Laffer curve) is that increasing tax rates beyond a certain point would become counterproductive for raising further tax revenue. Isn’t it the same with social media? Isn’t increasing the social mediaa in our daily life beyond a certain point would become counterproductive for developing communication and network? Isn’t source of pressure, overwhelming and even stress? A kind of nightmare?

Every day we receive tons of emails in our personal, work and University mailboxes. Plus many text messages. And if we don’t check Facebook, Tweeter and LinkedIn we can miss something important! The more we check and respond, the more we are solicited. Like a never-ending spiral.

And trying to reduce or stop seems to be as challenging as trying to stop smoking - well I assume since I don’t smoke. Who has never received advertising emails on his/ her mailbox? But do you remember having asked for receiving these emails? And have you ever try to unsubscribe? Very challenging! First, finding the “click here to unsubscribe” link on the email is difficult. Usually when it is easy to find you are re-routed to a new page asking your Login and Password. What Login? What Password? And if you pass the Login and Password ambush, the process to unsubscribe is more difficult than getting a 750 score at the GMAT. So much information requested and you if you are not careful you will subscribe to more newsletters and emails instead of unsubscribing to the original one. Any wrong click will add your email to friend-websites involving more advertising emails in your mailbox tomorrow.

So please Mr and Ms social media advertisers, stop overwhelming my mailboxes and websites. It is in the best interest of everybody.

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