One little thing I didn't to mention in my post entitled
"The Truth From a Certain Point of View" the other day, Truth in advertising! Yes, something that might actually make truth an oxymoron. In fairness some companies are not making such bold claims, they are just generating attention to their product so that we the little people -- I mean buying public will consider their product. Using such techniques as sex as an example.
Being cool is another one, you see them in competitive ads like Coke vs. Pepsi, and Miller Lite vs. Bud Light(feel free to add any foreign ads that I am not familiar with). They kind of force you to defend the one you like better. I think Coke is a superior product, but check my previous post on what making such a claim really means.
Then there is Sex. Sex, Sex, SEX!!!
Yes when the truth can't get the audience or sales of the product you want, you can always rely on sex.
But get this, the Government is getting involved. Well not the U.S. Government(give them time), but in the United Kingdom they have a little gang called the Committee of Advertising Practice. If the sound of their name isn't scary, you can probably imgine from such a name that they probably don't have a sense of humor. The committee has rejected an ad by the Lambrini drink company because it depicted women flirting with a man who was deemed too attractive! I find this hard to believe for a couple reasons, first since I wasn't there where did they find such a guy, and two how can anybody be too attractive, because who is to say.
The committee didn't stop there they
declared!
We would advise that the man in the picture should be unattractive overweight, middle-aged, balding etc.I can see the reaction of the Lambrini executives right now! "You're right, what were we thinking, you guys are so smart, you should have our jobs instead!" I think not!
Can you imagine if that committee made that declaration here in the states! Beer commercials would practically go away, Overstock.com would actually have to say what they sell on their site, and the guy in the Tag body spray commercials would have to be attacked by unattractive - overweight, middle-aged, balding women(which seems to be happening to me when I use the product).
You might be thinking to yourself right now(maybe), "So what your saying is, you would trade "Truth" for "freedom"?
I might respond, "Maybe?", Truth as I have already stated is subject to so many points of view, but then again so does freedom, so much so I fear that truth may have better odds of existing than freedom, especially since everybody believes they are telling the truth, and most people seem to be willing to trade "Freedom" for "Security". But that's a subject for another discussion, and since no one is telling me what I should do tomorrow, freedom lives!
I would probably reply with what I yacked about the other day, and that would be gain knowledge about the products and while I may not find the truth, I will probably figure out what is false. I will probably not be attacked by women(or men) trying Tag body spray(one should not need spray for that).
Experience plays a factor too. Growing up there was a product call Zip shoes, which suggested that if you wore those shoes you would Zip along, and jump all over the place. Imagine my surprise when I landed in the middle of a bush in our front yard with my first few steps. It was also the last time I had Blue shoes!
I do believe however those advertisers should try to be more truthful, or as Dr. Gene Scott "taught" they should act more truthful-ly (devout followers should get that!). I would like to see just one (ONE) home pregnancy company instead of showing some couple all gleeful when they find out they are expecting, have one freaked out chick just go nuts when she finds out she's been knocked up! I may buy one for the hell of it if a company did that, I may just knock a lady up for such a product(That's a joke!).
In conclusion: My advice to the Committee of Advertising Practice, this isn't Crunchy Frog they are putting out. Have a Lambrini drink with some attractive people, and enjoy life for a change. It may not be the truth, it may not be what we wish were true, but no can really say it's false!
Until next time,
PAC
