The Art of Manipulation

I’ve been interested in the other side of the advertising industry my whole life. Growing up, I learned how my favorite cartoons were made and realized the “behind the scenes” work of every show I watches was so very different than the final product. It was all fascinating and I hoped one day to be a part of creating such grandiose things. I graduated college as a Graphic Designer and began working "behind the scenes" daily. In the field, I practiced the skill of messaging and manipulating words, combining images and titles for quick impact, tested color combinations that get attention while staying consistent with branding.

I have also been an artist my whole life. To challenge my own beliefs, test, analyze, contrast and compare, ask why and seek out answers, solve underlying problems and find the beauty in all things, no matter how ugly they appear, is to truly be alive.

To be an artist in advertising is a double-edged sword. We peek deep inside, get to the core in order to present a more accurate picture of what is underneath. We admire the mastery of puppeteers and know the years practice it has taken to perfect the show. Actually, we marvel at all mastery because we appreciate the work it takes to get there. We have been taught the art of manipulating thoughts, and it disturbs us when that art is being used to abuse people. Most of us are trying to help others be successful in business by interpreting a more accurate appeal to a customer base, but there are those who contribute to destruction and enjoy it. It disturbs the beauty-loving side of us.

Because of my 20+ years in advertising, I don’t ridicule or fault people when they believe what is presented to them. There are psychological studies that help marketers target mindset, choose effects that lure a specific eye, write script to tug on specific emotion. Very real looking image are being injected into view over and over and over until the perfect presentation has been found. It's not as easy to spot a fake as it used to be, but it can still be spotted by one of us.

The abuse I see weighs heavy on me today.

So much that is going on in the advertising, TV, media world is meant to anger us toward one another, not solve problems that will make any lives better. Black vs. white, Left vs. Right, Dem vs Rep, city vs. rural, young vs. old, Maskers vs. Non-maskers, Vaxxers vs. Non-vaxxers - you name it, they're fighting.

Who is behind it and why?

I can not answer that, but I can say that evil is at its core and if we don’t find a way to pull together, we will be nothing more than a string of puppets thrown into the fire when the show is over.

I wouldn’t trade being an artist in advertising for anything. What I do wish is a better picture for how to bring us together and leave behind what tears us apart. Our struggle is not against one another, not even those doing the evil that we see. Our battle is against the dark, spiritual forces of evil that reside way outside of our control.

How do we fight such a strong opponent? We don’t, if we don’t have the right leader. The only way to win is to get behind the One who can fight evil, the One who extracts good from it, the One who works daily in our lives.

If you see things the way I am seeing them, you too might be an artist. It's on us to walk by faith not by fear, speak truth rather than sarcasm, and realize that not everyone can hear what you hear or see what you see. People are not stupid or slow, they are blinded by a dark spirit that stands firmly between them and the light, just as it once stood before you and me. Pray for eyes to see what He sees and ears to hear what He hears, and let’s move, as believers in Jesus Christ, to storm the gates of hell that have opened into our lives through media. I’m looking for more leaders in THIS movement. May God be with you.

“For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2Timothy 1:7

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12