Viewer Discretion is Advised
Posted: Monday, August 09, 2010
by Grace O'Malley
Deception marketing: the practice of advertising a product creating the public expectation of specific results.
The idea of marketing a product or service in the way described above is an age old concept. Putting a wolf in sheep's clothing harkens back to the time when cavemen first began to barter supplies. Deception marketing gives strong meaning to the phrase: buyer beware.
In this day and age we may have truth in advertising laws. However as with most things proffered in legalize, you need to read the fine print.
How many times have you witnessed a television ad plugging the advantages of a particular medicine only to listen to a rapid fire list of possible side effects? What about the company that offers diet supplements being promoted by a svelte and toned model? In 8 point type if you pull out your magnifying glass you will see the disclaimer saying "results are not typical". Buying a particular brand of clothing or makeup will have even the most unattractive of us looking like the beings in magazine ads. Forget the fact that they are airbrushed perfections only real in the minds of the art directors. Food manufactures are the worst by claiming their products are low fat, whole grain, high fiber and all natural yet processed with enough chemicals you wonder if one day you will begin to glow in the dark.
Some marketers would say these kinds of claims are not deceptive at all. That instead it is telling the people what they want to hear. Everyone wants to know that their purchases are ultimately good for them in some way. It gives the populace incentive to pat themselves on the back.
While all that back-patting is going on we have become a nation of overweight, over indulged narcissists gobbling down pill after pill to compensate for all the new medical problems "found" over the last twenty years.
All thanks to deception marketing.
Advertising has devolved us all into the egocentric stratosphere of must have, must do, must be in order to feel good about getting up in the morning.
I say enough is enough.
Marketing campaigns should not be designed by how well words can be twisted around but instead be aimed at what you see should be what you get. Promises should be kept, guarantees enforced, and product values worth the cost of purchase.
If your product is inferior, improve it. If your service is substandard, enhance it. Make every person who benefits from your business a sincere and willing spokesperson. Invite scruples back into the marketplace.
Albert Einstein said it best. "Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters."
Who knows what the results would be if real truth in advertising was used. Want to try and find out?
This Article has been viewed 1,000 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)I'll join your movement, Grace, this is a fabulous article! Thanks for writing it. So much energy is poured into trying to manipulate people - imagine if all of it was used for promoting truth!Fantastic Jennifer! We try and make sure our clients are aware of all the possibilities. We could probably power a small town with the energy used to manipulate!
Incidentally it wasn't just Einstein who said that. A biblical passage also states something to that effect. Anyway the whole marketing thing smacks of materialism. Companies create the need instead of advertising what's really needed. Whenever I watch tv, I put into mute mode things that I don't really want to hear from the ads, like soap, tampoons, etc etc. It destroys the peace and clutters my mind with so many useless things. Thanks for the article.Yes, companies do create the need. That is how they grow. Capitalism at its finest. Thank you for the comment! I appreciate your time.
Human nature is to live ignore.The man continue to see and hear repeatedly the advertising deceptive marketing, its nature is to perceive it correct. This is what psychologist says.Based on it, large companies spend big money on his advertisement the deceptive marketing on the Internet, television and published. It is the violation of human rights. Firms are becoming larger, by providing quaity poor products.It peoplem wordwide. I appreciate your artcle Marketing Deception.You are correct. It does not matter if 10 people say something is true when it is not. Those who listen to the 10 will believe it. Thank you for your comment.
Amen to that! Alas, it's going to be a cold day in hell before advertisers meet your standards. It works for them...which means they won't change their methods. Too bad most folks 'buy into' the nonsense; but fact is, they do. And so it will continue. Oh well. Doesn't mean WE have to buy into it, eh?No Camille we do not have to buy into it! I can only see advertisers increasing deception since it works to their clients advantage. Thank you for the comment.
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