English Descriptive Essay

Keeping up with the Constant Change in Technology

“Keeping up with the Joneses” (Comic, New York Globe 1913) is a well-recognized quote that I never really paid attention to until the day I decided to replace my cellphone with a newer version. The persistence of the television commercials, internet advertisement, posters and even the social media can persuade or even convince an individual that their current item is out of date and in need of the “new and improved” version. I wonder do we really need to replace our items or is it just conspicuous consumption.

The advertising of products on television is in my opinion well-crafted to convince consumers to purchase their products. The first time I saw the cellphone was in a television commercial. A few weeks later I was browsing the internet and I saw another advertisement of the same phone. Though my older phone had no issues, I was persuaded to get the newer model instead of being gratified with what was in my possession. The television commercial reiterated consistently, and sometimes with different types of cellphone companies. The way the device rotated in the commercial and demonstrated its abilities in slow motion, it was dynamic and dazzling. I was instantly attracted to the sleek design, the shiny metallic surrounding bezel, the bigger five inch screen, the luring new features of being able to do two things at once and the ability to use it as a television remote control. It was crafty but compelling. While the commercial was on, I found myself looking at the older cellphone which was seven inches smaller in size than the one being advertised, I had to have it.

I realized then that the art of adv...

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...cate device, I felt proud to be carrying around the latest line of technology. Did I really need this device?. This was a question I kept asking myself for some time. Granted the modified features were useful, I found myself not using them that often if at all. It was faster, the screen was very responsive and the color was flawless. In some way I still found myself questioning my reasons for purchasing this device since it was not a necessity, I could have maintained my older phone.

In conclusion, it could be said that the crafty packaging of television and internet advertisement can persuade or even convince an individual that their current item is out of date and in need of the “new and improved” version. It is up to the individual then; as in my case, not to be easily persuaded, keeping in mind the old saying that “all that glitters is not gold.”