Commercials

KilljoyKlown

KilljoyKlown

Whatever
Valued Senior Member
Commercials, why do they get away with lying on TV? Is that a good question, or am I being paranoid?

Have you noticed how all the competing insurance companies save you $400 to $500 when you switch from a competitor. Oh! I know how they get away with that, they say they average $400 to $500 in savings. I bet it's going to be very hard to determine what the real average actually is, even if someone were to pursue that line of inquiry.

How many times have you said to yourself it must be right, simply because you can't believe the government would let companies get away with lying on TV?
 
You mean a lizard can't really talk. But at least there are still cavemen around. Geico actually worked for me very well over Allstate. They also gave me $3000 and a very detailed report for our teenager's little front-end crash that I was able to fix myself for $10.
 
SciWriter said:
You mean a lizard can't really talk. But at least there are still cavemen around. Geico actually worked for me very well over Allstate. They also gave me $3000 and a very detailed report for our teenager's little front-end crash that I was able to fix myself for $10.
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Does that mean you would hurt the average savings they promote on TV, if you were to switch back to Allstate or Progressive?

Also, someone has to pay for all that TV advertizing, and I'm betting it's the customer.
 
This is why I can't watch TV anymore. I'll still download the program, but I can't sit for commercials.
 
spidergoat said:
This is why I can't watch TV anymore. I'll still download the program, but I can't sit for commercials.
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I signed up for Netflix and started ordering DVD's and watched 9 seasons of a weekly TV program without any commercials. Quite an experience.

Question, even though you know an Ad might be lying to you, if you need that product, how do you ultimately decide which company to buy from?
 
Question, even though you know an Ad might be lying to you, if you need that product, how do you ultimately decide which company to buy from?
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There's consumer report magazine that can give you some help. Then there's people you know that might know about a product because they bought it and could tell you what they think. You could also ask in a forum like here to see if anyone has ever used the product and get feedback. You ultimately must investigate as best you can through different means to find all information about products before purchasing them. Then you can buy guarantees, warranties and other insurances to get your product fixed or money back if you return it within a certain time period.
 
cosmictraveler said:
There's consumer report magazine that can give you some help. Then there's people you know that might know about a product because they bought it and could tell you what they think. You could also ask in a forum like here to see if anyone has ever used the product and get feedback. You ultimately must investigate as best you can through different means to find all information about products before purchasing them. Then you can buy guarantees, warranties and other insurances to get your product fixed or money back if you return it within a certain time period.
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Your mention of Consumer Reports Magazine made me check to see if they are online and they are as ConsumerReports.org, which you can subscribe to for $26.00 per year. And as a part of the subscription you can get request routed to your mobile phone when your out shopping.

But I still like the idea of advertisers being held to a higher standard.
 
Yea, those commercials always bug me too. Whatever happened to "Truth in Advertising?"

I suppose the Federal Trade Commission is the bunch that's supposed to regulate those things - but they are probably hamstrung by some stupid law that requires the product/service to cause personal injury before they can do anything about it. Plain lies seems to be a legal, accepted way of doing business.:bugeye:
 
KilljoyKlown said:
But I still like the idea of advertisers being held to a higher standard.
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There's a catch with those "higher standards" who's the ones that sets those standards to begin with. As administrations change they many times change personell at many levels and those working in the "higher standards" department could also let their guards down for many reasons. But I agree that something should be done when advertisements are wrong in what they promise and they should be delt with when they do by yanking that ad from the airwaves and fined a certain amount.
 
Read-Only said:
Yea, those commercials always bug me too. Whatever happened to "Truth in Advertising?"

I suppose the Federal Trade Commission is the bunch that's supposed to regulate those things - but they are probably hamstrung by some stupid law that requires the product/service to cause personal injury before they can do anything about it. Plain lies seems to be a legal, accepted way of doing business.:bugeye:
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Yeah! Have you noticed the disclaimers used in the medicine ads? They tend to lower the volume and rush through that part. Some of those side effects are enough to make your toenails curl. But at least they all say ask your doctor. Makes you wonder what advertising pressures your doctor's been exposed to. He may be well educated and intentioned but he's only human.
 
cosmictraveler said:
There's a catch with those "higher standards" who's the ones that sets those standards to begin with. As administrations change they many times change personell at many levels and those working in the "higher standards" department could also let their guards down for many reasons. But I agree that something should be done when advertisements are wrong in what they promise and they should be delt with when they do by yanking that ad from the airwaves and fined a certain amount.
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I hear what you are saying, but my point is that when it comes to TV and even newspapers, people tend to believe what they are told. I suppose there have been studies done that can quantify that effect and I'm sure the advertisers know everything there is to know about the psychology needed to increase their sales. Have you noticed that our capitalistic culture tends to support the concept 'Let the buyer beware', which puts the burden of deciding truth back on the individual. Even if you are a highly aware individual how long can you hold out over daily commercials that run for months at a time. Even when you can tune them out they kind of become subliminal and still get to your subconscious. I say the government should do more to protect the people.
 
Here's another example, 'Beenverified.com'. This program may someday be able to do what they promise, but right now it's big scam. I watched the commercial and thought it was a very good idea, so I checked it out during a trial period. I knew the criminal records of a few people and I tested the program and it failed to give complete information in every case. It was great with traffic tickets and minor stuff, but pathetic in the stuff that really mattered. I called them to cancel the program and they had the nerve to ask me why. So I told them what I knew and they told me that many cities won't release that information, but we are working on that problem. A lot of good that's going to do the mother trying to protect her kids from the bad guys.
 
Even when you can tune them out they kind of become subliminal and still get to your subconscious. I say the government should do more to protect the people.
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Products that people buy need to be researched by the consumer because not only the product might not be a good one but there could be even better deals out there as well. As has been discussed here there are insurance companies, as many other types as well, that offer "deal" from time to time. The government can't tell you that when they come out with a good deal that one company can't say that or another one is better, how can a government keep up with all of those "deal" Then the products sometimes change ownership and aren't as well made as they were a year before, how is the government going to know when that happens and when down grading products starts? To much control would mean that people won't think for themselves, believing instead that the governments always there to "protect" them. That's a very bad way to be thinking in my opinion.
 
Mind Over Matter said:
Look at this advertisement Model actress' "Before" and After" billboards not true". She tried to sell the public the concept of a person: A product has a basic assumption that man is a creature who must be physically attractive to have much worth in the eyes of others. Advertisements make models out to be the ideal people the rest of us are somehow supposed to emulate and imitate.
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You could be right as far as attractive for it's own sake is the object of concern. I tend to equate attractive as being healthier and better groomed which speaks much about the attitude of that individual. So if I see an attractive person in an ad I tend to think of them as better adjusted people that care about themselves and maybe what they are selling is really okay or better. Oops! I just fell into somebodies trap.:mad:
 
cosmictraveler said:
Products that people buy need to be researched by the consumer because not only the product might not be a good one but there could be even better deals out there as well. As has been discussed here there are insurance companies, as many other types as well, that offer "deal" from time to time. The government can't tell you that when they come out with a good deal that one company can't say that or another one is better, how can a government keep up with all of those "deal" Then the products sometimes change ownership and aren't as well made as they were a year before, how is the government going to know when that happens and when down grading products starts? To much control would mean that people won't think for themselves, believing instead that the governments always there to "protect" them. That's a very bad way to be thinking in my opinion.
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I really do see your point, but mass media advertising reaches so many people and has the ability to do great harm. For instance take shampoo's and conditioners, if you get one that doesn't work for you, not much harm done and lot's more to choose from. But in the case of Beenverified, not very many people are going to be able to realize they aren't getting all the Info. they need to really make the best decisions for their kids and loved ones. They rely on the information they get, say okay and go about their business thinking every things cool, when it may not be.:(
 
KilljoyKlown said:
You could be right as far as attractive for it's own sake is the object of concern. I tend to equate attractive as being healthier and better groomed which speaks much about the attitude of that individual.
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This is President Lincoln. Does he fall into your idea?

lincoln.jpg
 
cosmictraveler said:
This is President Lincoln. Does he fall into your idea?
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I think you know the answer to that question, and I'll bet we've both seen better pictures of Lincoln. That picture makes him look like he's already got one foot in the grave. I'm not sure where you are going with this question?:shrug:
 
KilljoyKlown said:
I think you know the answer to that question, and I'll bet we've both seen better pictures of Lincoln. That picture makes him look like he's already got one foot in the grave. I'm not sure where you are going with this question?:shrug:
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I'm just trying to show that just because people look a little unattractive doesn't always mean they are not well adjusted with their attitudes toward life and others as well. Looks are deceiving at times I say and never judge a book by its cover.
 
cosmictraveler said:
I'm just trying to show that just because people look a little unattractive doesn't always mean they are not well adjusted with their attitudes toward life and others as well. Looks are deceiving at times I say and never judge a book by its cover.
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That is true, and name recognition can go a long way in the advertising world. So if you have substantial name recognition your attractiveness won't be limited to your physical looks.

However being overweight is not as healthy as not being overweight and most people find overweight to be less attractive. The same can be said of sick people. Regardless of who you are if your health can be improved so can your attractiveness.
 
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