Advertisements influence our life to superlative extent. In all walks of life we swallow the advertisements as such and show our pockets wide open to be picked with ease. Here we lose our analytical ability or rather get in to the fancy of ads. No other animal on the whole earth will ever show its head to the ‘predator’ like humans. Here public the host, is the prey and the fraudulent product launcher the parasite, is the predator. Advertisement misleads or affects the judgment of the consumer or which, for many reasons, is detrimental to him. We should check certain factors like the characteristics of the goods or services, price, the conditions governing the supply of the goods or the provision of services, the nature, qualities and rights of the advertiser etc in to account to determine whether advertising is misleading in nature or not.
Why does the market need such a lot of advertisements? Obviously for certain vested interests like unhealthy competition (comparative advertising), promotion of inferior quality goods,……….. the list goes up to direct cheating.
Comparative advertising identifies a competitor or goods or services offered by a competitor.
• Here we need to establish some criteria to make sure that a comparative advertisement is not misleading but acts only as a legitimate means of informing consumers of what is in their interest. It should never create confusion in the market place between the advertiser and a competitor, thereby putting the customer in confusion or in a state of dilemma. Discrediting or denigrating the trade marks, trade names or other distinguishing signs of a competitor should never be adopted.
• Very recent ads of oil which claims to make body slim is misleading. Countless consumers nationwide are being victimized by these type of advertisers. Marketers are constantly looking for ways by which they can sell their commodities at a profit as most of them employ unethical mechanisms or methods which are objectionable and questionable. The body massaging oils like Lavana Thailam help only temporarily shrinking the physique as they contain some ingredients like rock-salt, which helps to decrease the body size by removing water to a great extent, a process called osmosis. (Can call it as salting or a method very similar to or next to it) Have faith in yourself and be motivated. Better you choose a gym or a health club which you consider most safe (Just for women, in case optical eyes may scan and record your curve lines!!) and compromises well with you. If you have a very busy schedule a little conscious in the regular activities will help you stay slim and fit at no extra cost.
• Imagine if you will, that you are a woman with dyed blonde hair and you have advanced gum disease due mostly to the fact that you have never seen, let alone used a toothbrush. You now have some insight into the star of this commercial. The highlight comes when the woman recoils in pain from incidental bristle contact, as if she were brushing with a steak knife. The point is hammered in several times as the voice-over repeats the word "hurt" in the language the ad is telecasted but non-synchronized lip movements. It gets better at in a few seconds, when star uses subtle non-verbal cues to communicate to the audience which toothbrush she prefers. The "conventional" toothbrush receives a look of contempt and scorn where as the "magic toothbrush" receives an appreciative head nod.
• Another funny ad of a potato chopper. A lady with a knife looks anywhere but at the knife she is wielding and the thick slices of potato she is lopping off. Here the inevitable happens. She cuts herself, yells and is exasperated with the whole concept of this two million-year-old technology, takes up the potato peeler. By this logic, the Handy Peel for potato, Fish Dresser for fish ete .. etc ..etc.. It's hard to say which is the saddest exaggeration here.
Is the customer getting better, or are advertisers getting trickier? How easy it is to find blatantly misleading ads and labels, something's up which isn't honesty. The most interesting part is that the sophist gains comfortably well,as orders for the magic brushes and potato peelers flow in far above the aim of the ‘product’ launcher.
Some advertisements give us a very false notion that as long as their products are in the market one can do maximum atrocities to the master gland liver by consuming alcohol. Medicines are for the well being of mankind and hence should be treated as gifts of god. It must be presented for public knowledge with utmost respect and reverence.
Advertisements are a crucial aspect of any type of business because they promote products or let the public know about them. Consequently, when this route is exploited by unscrupulous businesses persons to mislead the public, then it may destroy the very image of advertising. When that occurs, the public may loose faith in advertising in general and this may hinder sales for vast numbers of companies. It should be noted that the public can loose faith in advertising if they discover that large numbers of businesses are engaging in misleading advertisement. Additionally, misleading advertising is of interest to the country as a whole because if allowed to continue, it would deteriorate the country's business environment. Unscrupulous businesses would sell at the same level as honest businesses and this would violate marketing principles. Eventually, the overall marketing climate or the country's economy may even begin to decline.
No comments:
Post a Comment