"Calling all pets" and "Targeting Harried Commuters"

After reading these two articles it became apparent that the industry learns about the audience through their habits and what appeals to them. For the "Calling all pets" article the industry learns what pet products appeal to consumers through current trends in society. Since people are passionate about their pets, the industry knows they will be willing to spend the money on quality products. Also the pet industry takes into consideration the recent interest in home-improvement reality TV shows and subsequently markets products that mesh well with the home. I think it is very important to consider the current trends in society as many people are extremely concerned with keeping up with them.

The "Targeting Harried Commuters" article makes it clear that the industry knows their audience well - the average working American is extremely busy and on-the-go all the time. As a result the industry tries to think of clever ways to market to people during their commute. One point made in the article that I thought was very interesting was that advertisers want to be sure not to disrupt commuters' personal space. I think this is very important because if the advertisements get in the way of the commuter they will most likely be in a rush and get frustrated by the interruption. It is important to find a balance - the advertisement must catch the viewer's attention but at the same time be sure not to get in their way.