Positioning in Advertising and Seduction

As part of the evolutionary arms race comparison of the Seduction Community and the mass media for my Communication Studies paper, I am also going to be focusing on positioning.

My Opinions:

It's my opinion that PUAs strive to position themselves in the minds of targets in unique and innovative ways. Women, in general, have developed resistance to AFC techniques and PUAs try to stay a head of this resistance by approaching women in ways they haven't been approached before, thus placing themselves in original positions in the women's minds. I believe DHVs are one type of positioning devices PUAs use to accomplish their goals.

I believe beautiful women are bombarded with approaches and attempts at attraction and seduction and a PUA takes this into consideration when approaching these women.

Your Contributions:

I am looking for message board posts, blogs, articles, or other PUA sources that deal with how positioning in the minds of the targets and positioning oneself against competition. If you know of any public sources or are interested in writing a public source, please leave the link(s) to the source(s) in the comment section of this blog post. I've added specific comments to some of the quotes; my opinions appear in (parenthesis) and italics.

Advertising Quotes regarding Positions:

"Advertising is, for the most part, unwanted unliked. In some cases, advertising is thoroughly detested." (I believe the same could be said of the Seduction Community but have no source to reference).

"In spite of its reputation, or perhaps because of it, the field of advertising is a superb testing ground for theories of communication. If it works in advertising, most likely it will work in politics, religion, or any other activity that requires mass communication." (p. 2)

"So the examples in this book could just as well have been taken from the field of politics, war, business, or even the science of chasing the opposite sex." (p. 2)

"Positioning starts with a product. A piece of merchandise, a service, a company, an institution, or even a person. Perhaps yourself." (p. 2)

"Anyone can use positioning strategy to get ahead in the game of life." (p. 4)

"To be successful today, you must touch base with reality. And the only reality that counts is what's already in the prospect's mind."(I believe the same could be said of the Seduction Community and the target's mind but have no source to reference). (p. 5)

"To be creative, to create something that doesn't already exist in the mind, is becoming more and more difficult. If not impossible." (p. 5)

"Today's marketplace is no longer responsive to the strategies that worked in the past." (p. 5)(I believe the same could be said of the Seduction Community but have no source to reference).

"We have become an overcommunicated society." (p. 6)

"In the communication jungle out there, the only hope to score big is to be selective, to concentrate on narrow targets, to practice segmentation. In a word, 'positioning.'" (p. 6)

"The mind, as a defense against the volume of today's communication, screens and rejects much of the information offered it. In general, the mind accepts only that which matches prior knowledge or experience." (p. 6) (The second sentence of this statement is difficult for me to believe, especially when being paralleled with women. I believe the PUA is actually trying to do things that do NOT match prior knowledge or experience in hopes of positioning themselves as different/better than others men.)

"Once a mind is made up, it's almost impossible to change it." (p. 6) (I strongly agree with this statement and think PUAs aim to aid women in making up their minds in regards to favoring PUAs).

"The only defense a person has in our overcommunicated society is an oversimplified mind." (p. 6)

"We communicate with each other in a wide variety of bewildering ways." (p. 7) (I couldn't agree more and I think PUAs aim to master this bewildering communication to their advantage.)

"'Glittering generalities" have become a way of life in our overcommunicated society." (p. 7)

"It's a selection project. You have to select the material that has the best chance of getting through." (p. 8) (This can be seen in the different methods, strategies, and techniques offered from various individuals, businesses, and groups with the Seduction community.)

"When you want to communicate the advantages of a political candidate or a product or even yourself, you must turn things inside out." (p. 8)

"You look for the solution to your problem inside the prospect's mind." (a PUAs problem is seducing a women; the answers to seducing women lie within her individual mind.)

"'In politics,' said John Lindsay, 'the perception is the reality." So, too, in advertising, in business, and in life." (p. 8) (and I'd say in seduction also).

"The only answer to the problems of an overcommunicated society is the positioning answer." (p. 14)

"In our overcommunicated society, the paradox is that nothing is more important than communication. With communication going for you, anything is possible. Without it, nothing is possible. No matter how talented and ambitious you may be." (p.19)

"Positioning is an organized system for finding a wind in the mind. It is based on the concept that communication can only take place at the right time and under the right circumstances." (p.19)

"The easy way to get into a person's mind is to be first." (p.19) (I'd love to see PUA write about being unique and innovative to get into the target's mind.)

"Falling in love is similar phenomenon. While people are more selective than ducks, they're not nearly as selective as you might think." (p.20)

"What counts most is receptivity. Two people must meet in a situation in which both are receptive to the idea. Both must have open winds. That is, neither is deeply in love with someone else." (p.21)

"If you want to be successful in love or in business, you must appreciate the importance of getting into the mind first." (p.21) (I believe being the first to approach a woman in a unique way positions a PUA to be in "the mind first".If a woman is approached with the same AFC tactics over and over again, she begins to resist it so PUA have to be creative to approach her in, what appear to be, original ways).

"You build brand loyalty in a supermarket the same way you build mate loyalty in a marriage. You get there first and then be careful not to give them a reason to switch." (p.21)

"If you didn't get into the mind of your prospect first (personally, politically, or corporately), then you have a positioning problem." (p.21)

"The chaos in the marketplace is a reflection of the fact that advertising just doesn't work the way it used to. But old traditional ways of doing things die hard" (p.23)(Reminds me of AFCs; they don't want to learn new ways of attracting and seducing women).

"Messages prepared in the old, traditional ways have no hope of being successful in today's overcommunicated society." (p.23)

"The fund and games of the sixties and seventies have given way to the harsh realities of the eighties." (p.24)

"To succeed in our overcommunicated society, a company must create a position in the prospect's mind, a position that takes into consideration not only the company's own strengths and weaknesses, but those of its competitors as well." (p.24) (Again something I see PUAs doing).

"Advertising is entering an era where strategy is king." (p.24) (I think there may be something in the Magic Bullets about this...I'll have to check)

References

All above quotes came from Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind written by Al Ries and Jack Trout.

Evolutionary Arms Races in Seduction & Media

The focus of my paper (per my professor's guidance) is going to be a comparison of parallels between the evolutionary arms races in the Seduction Community and in the mass media.

Advertisers, entertainers, news dispensers and seducers have to continual evolve their strategies because the tactics that they develop quickly loose efficiency when their targets/prospects develop resistance to those tactics/strategies.

How you can contribute:
If you are interested in contributing to my research you can make your own posts or refer me to existing posts.

If you want to make your own post, please make it a public post (discussion forum, blog, podcast, etc) regarding any of the below mentioned ideas/topics/themes.

Please also let me know if you know of other online references that may be helpful to my research. All comments and links can be left in the comment section of this post. I'll review the material and consider using it for my project.

Take a look at some of the ideas/topics/themes I've already gathered below:

Definition:
"An evolutionary arms race is an evolutionary struggle between to competing sets of co-evolving genes [in this case humans] that develop adaptations and counter-adaptations against each other, resembling an arms race." (Wikipedia, 2007)

"Arms race is also used to describe any competition where there is no absolute goal, only relative goals of staying ahead of the other competitors [and targets/prospects]." (Wikipedia, 2007)

Other quotes:
"Sex is an evolutionary puzzle." (Wikipedia, 2007)

"In addition, males and females must spend resources to attract and compete for mates." (Wikipedia, 2007)

"There is an arms race between advertisers and their potential customers." (Steen, 2007)

"Their work represents a ramping up in the arms race between advertisers and their audience." (Steen, 2007)

"In a co-evolutionary arms race, audiences gradually learn to resist advertisers' techniques." (Steen, 2007)

“The male’s goal is seduction: He is trying to manipulate the female into falling for his charms, to get inside her head and steer her mind his way. The evolutionary pressure is on him to perfect displays that make her well disposed toward him and sexually aroused so that he can be certain of mating.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 161)

“The technologies of seduction have been developed to help even the playing field.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 5)

“In a monogamous society a woman often chooses a mate long before he has had a chance to become a ‘chief’, and she must look for clues to his future potential rather than rely only on past achievements. Poise, self assurance, optimism, efficiency, perseverance, courage, decisiveness, intelligence, ambition--these are the things that cause men to rise to the top of their professions. And not coincidentally, these are the things women find attractive.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 298)

“If you exhibit the right traits, then women will take a bet on you. They’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, even though you may not have the corner office just yet. They’re guessing that, based on your personality, you will some day.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 6)

“Body language matters for male sexiness.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 298-299)

“While it’s easy to think every human being is idiosyncratic and unique, the book [The Red Queen] explains how our mating choices are the result of evolutionary and biological pressures over thousands of years.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 7)

“Seduction techniques such as peacocking, social proof, and projecting confidence work in the animal kingdom as well as among humans.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 7)

"In 1972, Robert Trivers explained why the genders have such disparate goals. The gender that invest the most in children (such as the way women carry a fetus for nine months) is the one that has the least to gain from an extra mating. The gender that invest the least has extra time to spend searching for other mates.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 3)

“Therefore, broadly speaking, males invest less and seek quantity of mates, while females invest more and seek quality of mates.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 133)

“Because of those different goals, scientists define a reality that every man who has ever entered a singles club immediately learns.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 3) “Males compete for the attention of females.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 133)

“Females choose; their choosiness is inherited; they prefer exaggerated ornaments; exaggerated ornaments are a burden to males. That much is now uncontroversial.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 138)

“Inherently, peacocking, like all pickup techniques, isn’t meant to be easy.” (Strauss, 2006, p.3)

“We tend to think it’s the woman’s place to be uncomfortable. High-heels, push-up bras, tight shirts, and waxed eyebrows (and other body parts!) are just part of being a fashionable, attractive woman. But to be a successful pickup artist, you have to be willing to carry some of that burden yourself.” (Strauss, 2006, p.3)

“It may feel uncomfortable or not cool sometimes, but it conveys confidence and leadership and individuality when you’re wearing those clothes (as opposed to letting them wear you). And though we weren’t born with antlers or colorful tail feathers, fortunately we can purchase and adorn the equivalent.” (Strauss, 2006, p.3)

“Ridley points out that peacocks are among the few birds to gather together in groups for sexual selection. Scientists call this gathering a ‘lek’. (Strauss, 2006, p.4)

“The characteristic of the lek is that one or a few males, usually those that display near its center, achieve the most mating, but the central position of a successful male is not the cause of his success so much as the consequence: Other males gather around him.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 141)

“In guppy fish, females that have been allowed to see two males, one of which is already courting a female, subsequently prefer that [already attached] male to the other even if the female that was being courted is longer present.” (Ridley, 2003, p. 146). “Obviously, social proof is effective, even in the animal kingdom.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 4)

“For the aspiring pickup artist, The Red Queen is an invaluable text that provides useful information on how our social interaction has evolved over thousands of years. And how it continues to evolve. The Red Queen not only tells you how we got here, but provides solid scientific evidence that you need to constantly improve your game.” (Strauss, 2006, p.2)

“The struggle for seduction never gets easier. However well a pickup artist may adapt his game, he can never relax, because the hard bodies and alpha-males are also adapting their tactics. Seduction is a zero-sum game.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 2)

“You must constantly refine your game. Seek to grow beyond just spitting out canned routines and pickup techniques you’ve memorized. Always be learning, and then challenge yourself to grow beyond what you’ve learned. Become your own guru. Because you can bet that whatever technique you’re memorizing, someone else is working on the antidote.” (Strauss, 2006, p.2)

“Ridley explains that the instinctual goal for every female animal is to find a mate with the genetic makeup necessary to be a good husband, a good father, or a good sire. Male animals, on the other hand, have a goal of locating as many wives and mothers as possible.” (Strauss, 2006, p. 3)

“We’ll be able to adjust somehow.” (Waxlrose, 2006)

“If women start to get bombarded with "the game" then you had better believe they will adapt defenses against it.” (Merlin, 2006)

“Fact is, being successful with girls (or at least better than the average Joe) is about adapting your own behaviour [behavior],” (Borris, 2006)

“Evolve faster than the media can blow it [the Seduction Community] open. Stay two steps ahead at all times.” (Hysteria, 2006)

“being a PUA doesn't make one inherently manipulative or dirty.” (Illpapinyc, 2006)

“The game may be about to bite itself in the ass. That or its gotta evolve big time.” (Irish83, 2006)

Learn to adapt and evolve faster than anybody else.” (Hysteria, 2006)

“It's about developing your self. Your skillset. Your social intelligence. Your 'alpha qualities'. Your lifestyle. Your natural attractiveness to women.” (Roman_be, 2006)

References

The links following the quotes should take you to the exact online location of the referenced text. If there is not a link quote, the information is NOT available for public viewing online and the reference is listed below.

PUAs' pseudonyms are listed in the references because PUAs use pseudonyms instead of real names, unless the PUA's name is publicly known (i.e., Style is listed as Strauss).

Steen, F. “Class Lecture Notes” (2007) Retrieved March 3, 2007 (will appear in appendix of project)

Strauss, N. (2006, July) "The red queen: study guide".
Stylelife. Retrieved February 27, 2007 (will appear in appendix of project)

Ridley, M (2003) The red queen New York, Harper Perennial.