What advertisements actually say is carefully crafted so that we hear something different. Keeping an eye (or ear) out for such tactics will allow us to make purchasing decisions based more on facts than on marketing.
To give you an idea of the types of advertisements that easily fool us, I’ve provided a few examples below:
| What They Say: |
No other (insert product type here) has been proven to be more effective than (product being advertised) |
What We Hear: |
The product being advertised is the most effective option. |
Reality: |
Competitors may not have tried to prove they are more effective in the advertised way, or effectiveness may be impossible to prove. |
| What They Say: |
Risk free trial. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. |
What We Hear: |
If we’re not satisfied, we’ll get our money back without any risk of loss. |
Reality: |
In addition to the time it takes to get our money back, we’ll typically only get the purchase price refunded, not the shipping and handling, which may be inflated to cover the actual cost of the product. Also, “satisfaction” is an ambiguous term that the manufacturer may define much differently than we would. |
| What They Say: |
(Product being advertised) is clinically proven to work better than (insert competitor product here) |
What We Hear: |
The have proof that their product is the best. |
Reality: |
Clinically proven means that a product was preferred in a clinical trial. In other words, a group of people picked the advertised product over the competitor. While this is good to know, another group may have chosen differently depending on the circumstances of the trial. “Clinically proven” is useful information, but shouldn’t be confused with “proven.” |
| What They Say: |
Free (insert product here). |
What We Hear: |
We get something for nothing. |
Reality: |
The advertised item is often only “free” if we make another purchase or a required subscription. This may be a good deal, but you have to ask yourself if what you are spending money on is worth it. If it’s only worth it because of the “free” add-on, then it might be better to not spend the money at all. |
Advertisements are cleverly constructed to make true statements that our minds twist into something better. Picking up on the subtleties of advertising can help to ensure that you never waste your money buying the ad versus buying the product.
Posted by Mike Smith :: July 3, 2008 @ 11:40 am
1 Comment
Maybe the best thing to do is to avoid advertising as much as possible.
If you think advertising to adults is a twisted vocation, wait until you read about the pervasive effects of advertising on kids.
You will be horrified to see so much advertising: brainwashing, self esteem impacting and eating disorder creating messages rampant on cartoon and "educational" program tv.
Check this organization out:
http://www.commercialexploitation.org/
Leave a Reply