Is There Truth in Advertising?
The marketing industry has its fair share of deception and bullshit. From “Do-Nothing” infomercials to self-proclaimed “Gurus,” it seems like everyone’s out to beat you up and take your lunch money.
Well personally, I think it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. If people are begging you for cash, they clearly don’t know how to get rich fast.
And let’s not kid ourselves about those supposed free iPhones. If time equals money, then spending 50 billion hours on online surveys ain’t exactly free.
Sure, I’ll concede that there’s an ounce of truth in advertising. Hell, pharmaceutical commercials are too honest. I mean, have you ever seen those commercials? One minute you’re watching a cheerful montage of newfound vitality, and the next you’re bombarded with a laundry list of potential side effects…
“RELAXOFT may cause nosebleeds, baldness, memory loss, swollen ankles, facial boils, excessive earwax, uncontrollable cursing, an urge to play in the mud, road-rage, snoring while awake, perjury, atheism, and a compulsion to spit at small pets.”
Well, isn’t that lovely? Next time, I think I’ll just tough out the headache.
All of these side-effects lead to bigger questions. Like, if I’m feeling under the weather and my partner offers me medicine, should I fight him? Should I slap it out of his hand? After all, the medicine might have caused the sickness in the first place.
And while pharmaceutical ads get points for partial honesty, they’re not entirely off the hook. In many other ways, they’re just as confusing and misleading. For example, they often feature scenes unrelated to the product.
Vagisil commercials have cheerleaders performing routines. Male enhancement commercials have politicians playing golf. Every herpes commercials can be summed up as: “I have herpes.” “I don’t.” “Let’s ride bicycles.”
Ultimately, when it comes to medication, I don’t pay much attention to the advertisements. It’s best to let the doctors decide what’s right for me. They usually know what they’re talking about. Well, emphasis on usually. I once had a doctor whose office plants were always dead. I couldn’t help but wonder if I could trust him with my life.
127 Comments
Trish
Some advertisements are ridiculous, like the toothpaste one where the people are trying to desperately squeeze out the last drop of toothpaste, yet they do it like they're missing their 21st chromosome. Can't say much about doctors considering I want to be one, haha. (Hopefully, I'll be the first sane psychiatrist, haha.)
Julianne
lol yes, medicinal commercials are also so imformative, but I think they are required by law to mention all side effects. Some are pretty silly too, for some reason I find the little blob guy in the zoloft (depresssion meds) commercials hilarious!
Chrys
Yeah, I know about your tweet. My dad and I were talking about the same thing when I refreshed twitter and your your post! It was a very deja vu moment, almost.
I guess I just can't understand it because I've never been a fan of a celebrity in particular. People talk about their "connection" to a celebrity but to me they've always been… people that I don't know? Kind of hard to explain, but yeah. Although I get that for a lot of people he was an inspiration, he was also just a man, so I'm thinking that… Although sad, a bit too much fuss is being made.
And wow, I never knew you were a dancer!
Diamond
Thanks (: Well apparently I got a 56%. It's not bad I guess… Well I improve dhaha. In my mid-year I got like in the 40s or something so I'm happy (:
Oh thanks for asking! I would love to be your affiliate! =)
Thuyy
OMG I JUST REALIZED WHAT YOU MEANT. haha my last comment I didn't realize at first. I was just like "Er…okay…"
Hahah…that's funneh.
Thuyy
LOL oh really now.
wooo i have another stalker on twitter. (:
now i shall go follow you.
Shur
I probably wouldn't analyse it that much but you can share your opinions on it, haha. I'd just watch the movie the whole 2 hours like a freaked out fan girl and maybe scream Shia Labouef I'm Available the whole time.
Chiui
LOL justin. hahaha! i returned ze favor. 😉
anyway, hahaha i dont know about that commercial. lol. bicycles?? rofl! random XD
yeah one time a doctor left me with some tight kind of a plastic thingy tied on my arm. and then i saw that my blood was gone on that arm and then it was like more than 5 minutes so I started to worry. he was talking on the phone with his bestfriend. =/
Gillian
You're definitely right about advertising.
It's extremely fake and also confusing at times!
Sad that there's no such thing as a free ipod, but it's the truth. xD
Delilah
Ahaha, (:
Thanks for the comment !
Pam
Haha, the only things I use my left hand for are writing, drawing that kind of thing. This is why I am considered Left-Handed. 🙂
I love your site too, your blogs are so funny! I still can't get over the last one. Sure we can exchange links. You want me to add yours? 🙂
Jill
oh waaay too interesting 🙂
Shola
Thanks. *blushes* Yes I know I am slow, it's this no caffeine, no smoke no drink thing. Taking effect all ready.
I am most like gonna take your comments off my comment-tutorial thing so I don't look so retarded. :)I'll save it to my computer for future reference. Unless if you prefer me to keep it up.
Thank you.
I owe you a drink, wait, I can't use that anymore. 🙁
I owe you a knitted hat. Yeah, that works. :]
Jill
The thing is.. you're probably right. I look quite..uh..interesting to say the least.
Shola
"Add the following code in the top part of your site:"
Okay, you didn't say top bit, top PART, same difference.
which top part?
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