A lot of people who talk about the value of intent in advertising don't actually know anything about advertising.

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Noah Brier (@heyitsnoah) May 16, 2012

If you ask most advertisers why they spend millions (and sometimes billions) on traditional ads, it’s not to harvest people who intend to buy, it’s to create demand: continuing to grow a business requires continuing to bring in new customers constantly.

However it makes you feel, most ads exist to remind you that you need something new.

That shoe company with billboard isn’t trying to get you to buy their shoes over a competitor, they’re trying to remind you that you need new shoes and, they hope, when you walk into the store you’ll spring for their brand.

via Why Facebook Matters | Blog @ Percolate.