“15 minutes could save you 15% or more.” It’s catchy, no? But what is it actually saying? It’s pretty much promising nothing. What the ad line really says is that you could save 15% or more but you might save less than 15% or nothing at all. So why bother with an ad line that is really promising nothing? It’s because most people have selective hearing or at least a selective memory. What your average person will take away from hearing that ad line are two things: “save” and “15%”.
What I find even more amusing than the ads that promise nothing are the ads the promise limits. “You could lose up to a jeans size in two weeks.” The only thing that ad line promises is that you won’t lose more than a jeans size. But again all you remembered was “lose” and “jeans size”.
As amusing as these empty ad claims are, it bothers me that their trickery actually works on most people. The ads aren’t lying but they are trying to deceive and I don’t like that. If you don’t have anything true and plain to say about your company or product, then don’t say anything at all.
Companies may not make false or deceptive ad claims.
As always I remain your all-powerful and benevolent Queen of the World,
Marisa
P.S. Happy Birthday sweetheart!
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