30-Second Seduction: How Advertisers Lure Women Through Flattery, Flirtation, and Manipulation

Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to one type of cereal over another or why you think of that model with the gorgeous skin when you are buying a bottle of lotion?

You are being seduced by the advertising industry. Every consumer choice you make—from what soap to buy to which car to drive—has been influenced by advertising.

In 30-Second Seduction author and Marketplace reporter Andrea Gardner focuses on the many ways that advertising targets women and how those ads affect decisions, purchases, and everyday life.

When writing 30-Second Seduction, Andrea interviewed a handful of women from diverse backgrounds, of all ages, and from different parts of the U.S. to uncover how advertising impacts every woman in different ways—from their reactions to specific ads to the television ads they found most memorable and what brands they bought recently. She also talks to marketing professionals from companies like Dove, Kimberly Clark, Lee, and Proctor Gamble to find out how they are seeking to break through the ad clutter and enchant women. Ultimately, Andrea argues that advertising isn’t a bad thing for women. It is important for women to be informed, objective buyers.