Ad creep is real, and it may have invaded a school near you.
That was the setting for a Philips razor commercial years ago, as detailed in the r/ABoringDystopia subreddit.
"Ads playing on repeat inside my school," the poster, from the Netherlands, wrote.
Of course, the mind-boggling display drew unanimous condemnation. Commenters brought up everything from European Union laws to the mental health impacts of ads on adolescents to the hirsuteness of students.
Another problem is that the product on display was made out of plastic. After its short lifespan, it likely ends up in a landfill, contributing microplastics to the environment.
In 2021, the Dutch exported more plastic per capita than anyone else in the world, and they were third behind the Japanese and Americans in sending plastic waste to the Global South, according to the Plastic Soup Foundation.
Stay hydrated and refreshed this holiday season — without any sugar or harmful additives Nuun’s zero-sugar hydration tablets are a perfect, guilt-free way to enhance your water throughout the day. You’ll get five essential electrolytes for everyday hydration — with zero grams of sugar. Plus, Nuun tablets are certified vegan and gluten-free, and they’re the perfect size to keep in your car, purse, or anywhere you'll want a healthy, restorative drink. Learn more → |
In this case, you can avoid such planned obsolescence with a metal razor.
But really, the problem lies with the culture of consumerism that runs unchecked everywhere, like a streaker without a security deterrent.
"I first noticed that we were past the tipping point a few years back when I went to the airport and saw ads laminated to the bottom of the individual bins in the security line," one Redditor wrote. "Yes it's an airport, basically a shitty strip mall with an oversized parking lot, but for some reason it really caught me off guard how much we were becoming exposed to 'impressions' even outside the phone or computer screen."
Another added: "Mine was in a plane. A very cramped plane with tvs on the back of each chair. The tv had no off button. It played ads and nothing else UNLESS you swiped a credit card which was attached to the TV. I wish I could say I was making this up. The TV could only be 'shut off' by turning the brightness down. It was nightmarishly dystopian."
There's a reason dermatologists personally use this daily moisturizing sunscreen more than any other brand Dermatologists see and understand skin at a much deeper level than the rest of us, and they know that the perfect SPF both protects and corrects your skin. That's why they trust, recommend, and personally use EltaMD more than any other brand. EltaMD's clinically tested formulas are designed with dermatologists to meet the needs of any skin type or condition. They're also designed for consistent daily wear to build long-term resilience with a moisturizing, lightweight, non-comedogenic texture — plus hyaluronic acid to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Learn more → |
A couple of users spoke directly about the oppressive marketing scheme.
"Especially ads on how to improve your looks make me utterly cringe," one said.
The other replied: "'You ARE NOT pretty enough.' 'We can help, though, just buy our garbage.'"
And someone else summed it up perfectly: "Shouldn't this be illegal?"
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
