Lies, blatant lies and advertising
How customers are deceivedAdMe.ru
Advertising and packaging of various kinds of products contain countless amounts of information that is either half-truth or half-lie.
The consumer is not told, redundant facts are reported, simple information is wrapped in a beautiful shell. And all this for the sole purpose of making you believe that this particular product is unique and will solve all the pressing problems of a person in the blink of an eye.
All these "cholesterol–free", "with cashmere proteins" and "contains L.Casei Imutitass bacteria" are doping for the most common goods of the FMCG sector (fast-moving consumer goods, mass–demand goods - VM), the cycle of use of which is very small. Doping, which artificially but successfully increases their ability to quickly and easily disperse from the shelves in supermarkets; creates the illusion of uniqueness.
Curiously, these advertising tricks are completely legal – that is, from the point of view of the law, it is impossible to find fault with the wording.
AdMe.ru I have collected in this material attempts by marketers to mislead the consumer and persuade him to buy.
Tested/Approved/Recommended The Association of Dentists of Russia recommends chewing gum, associations of dermatologists approve creams, and the Union of Pediatricians of Russia has been noted on almost every children's brand.
Even LG refrigerators have been tested by the Clinic of the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and recommended by the National Association of Nutritionists and Nutritionists.
Such a fashionable recommendation system today is only an advertising technology designed to inspire consumer confidence. The calculation is clear: among more or less similar products, the consumer will choose the one whose usefulness is supported by the authority of a state institution. However, for research institutes that subscribe to brands, this is just a way to make money. The cost of such approvals, according to the calculations of the Evening Petersburg edition, depending on the status of the organization and the degree of participation in the advertising campaign ranges from 10 thousand (if, for example, the advertiser from the laboratory only needs a stamp on a piece of paper) to 100 thousand dollars (if there is a long-term partnership agreement).
Where is nano and where is not nano
In the wake of the boom of the state PR of nanotechnology, the prefix "nano" in advertising will soon overtake such words as "glav", "mir" and "elite" in popularity: nanocapsules for weight loss, shoe cream based on nanotechnology, nanocosmetics and Samsung silver nano washing machine. In Russia, even nano-car washes have been opened, which offer the service of protective "Nano-coating" on the body after washing the car.
Needless to say, all these products and companies have nothing to do with Rosnanotech State Corporation and nanotechnology. But it is almost impossible to hold brand owners accountable for using the prefix "nano", because there is no clear idea about nanotechnology even in the scientific community.
InnovativeIn modern advertising, this is a buzzword everywhere – from innovations in hair coloring, to an innovative formula for rejuvenating cosmetics and innovative technologies for the production of meat products.
At the same time, it does not necessarily mean some kind of revolutionary discovery or innovation. The innovative hair dyes advertised today by L'Oreal, Schwarzkopf and other brands are ammonia–free paints that appeared a few years ago.
Another example. The cream's advertising is amazing in its absurdity – here you have innovations, nanoparticles, and anglicisms for greater importance: "The advanced innovative LEOREX formula provides a unique physical effect on the upper layers of the skin. A self-organizing network structure of silica nanoparticles and a hydrophilic matrix of glycosaminoglycans actively straightens the wrinkle zone and prolongs the rejuvenation processes."
Eco/Bio/non-GMOThe number of fans of organic products in the world is growing every day and advertisers immediately picked up the trend and used the desire of people to buy environmentally friendly products, placing the prefixes "eco", "bio" and "non-GMO" on all products in a row.
In the countries of the European Union, America and some other countries, there are laws on uniform standards for the production of products labeled "bio". There are no such standards in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Accordingly, stamps "does not contain GMOs" can be found even on salt. Can you tell me where the genes for salt, soda and water are?
Tricky mathMathematics in verbal garb is wildly mysterious.
For example, Eldorado had a loud campaign "Discounts – up to 80%", but an attentive buyer found out that discounts apply only to mouse pads and similar cheap and uninteresting products.
A similar mathematical trick is used in advertising Duracell batteries – "they work UP to 10 times more." If you think about it, this formulation does not mean that brand batteries work 10 times longer than usual – by such a simple substitution of the pretext, a feeling of durability of branded batteries is created.
Sometimes such a trick is used – "70% Discounts *" is written in large letters on an advertising banner, a clarification is given at the bottom of the banner in small letters: "Discounts on 70% of goods".
Sunflower oil without cholesterolA special mark on sunflower oil bottles – "without cholesterol" – should encourage citizens who are concerned about this issue to buy this oil.
Not everyone knows that there is no cholesterol and can not be in any bottle of vegetable oil of any brand. Cholesterol is a natural fatty alcohol that is contained strictly in animal organisms. And writing on bottles of butter "without cholesterol" is like writing "without bread" – it's not there anyway.
Vitamin E, which also acts as a competitive advantage in communication, on the contrary, is an integral part of sunflower oil.
Effective treatment of dysbiosisNot so long ago, another one was added to the most serious problems of Russians – dandruff, sweaty armpits and bacteria behind the rim of the toilet bowl: dysbiosis.
This disease spoils the life of everyone without exception, but there are magic remedies to restore the intestinal microflora. In addition to yoghurts, which will be discussed separately, dysbiosis is treated with numerous medications.
So, for example, in the advertising of Linex, it is directly reported that this is a "Modern weapon against dysbiosis", and viewers are clearly shown exactly how Linex deftly patches up the gaps in the "bacterial shell" of the intestine.
And here are three facts:
1. The disease "dysbiosis" does not exist. This diagnosis is not specified in the International Classification of Diseases and is not included in the regulatory document of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation "Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system". Symptoms called by the term "dysbiosis" occur within completely different diseases and syndromes. And, as you know, it is not the symptoms that need to be treated, but the causes.
2. In modern medicine, in which an evidence-based methodology has been adopted, all such drugs belong to "medicines with unproven effectiveness". That is, they either did not pass the studies established by the regulations, or did not even try to pass them.
3. Probiotics and bacteriophages in the vast majority of cases either do not reach the intestines, digested in the stomach, or are rejected by the body as foreign.
Restoration of immunityThe problem of reduced immunity, which has also worsened in humanity in recent years, is also being treated by manufacturers of fermented milk products and medicines.
The former claim in advertising that human immunity is contained in his gastrointestinal tract, and the latter sell echinacea purpurea extract, which has no proven effectiveness, again lysates of bacteria, flavoring it with vitamins.
Imunele
The advertisement reads "A special complex of lactobacilli, strengthening the immune system, helps health to be in great shape." Abbreviation L. in the names of "special" bacteria, it stands for Lactobacillus – that is, ordinary lactobacilli. Casei and Rhamnosus are a type of lactobacillus and a subspecies of the variety, respectively. Both miracle cultures are present in the human body and in the vast majority of fermented milk products. The latter – Rhamnosus – is most often used as a preservative in yoghurts to prevent unwanted changes in the chemical composition, and not at all for the sake of our immunity.
Actimel
In the advertisement of Actimel, Imunele's twin brother, only one type of lactobacilli is reported - L.Casei Imunitass. These are the same lactobacilli, but with a proprietary marketing name in order to detach from a competitor. The title intentionally contains a word similar in sound to the word "immunity", as this may inspire the audience with a false sense of concern about immunity. By the way, Danone's website says that this particular bacterium was chosen after 10 years of scientific research.
Arbidol
In the advertisement of the immunomodulator "Arbidol", a man in a white coat confidently and firmly convinces television viewers of the need to start taking the drug at the first signs of the disease, while pronouncing the code phrase "Arbidol can help speed up recovery." And maybe, as you understand, it won't help. And, mind you, it can even help not to cure, but only to accelerate recovery." Needless to say, the drug has no clinically proven efficacy.
Magic YogurtsIf we set aside fermented dairy products that promise reinforced concrete immunity, then there are still many miraculous remedies among yoghurts, although the composition is approximately identical for all.
As the Federal Law of the Russian Federation of June 12, 2008 No. 88-FZ "Technical regulations for milk and dairy products" informs us, yogurt in our country can only be called a fermented milk product with a high content of skimmed milk solids produced using a mixture of fermenting microorganisms – thermophilic lactic acid streptococci and Bulgarian lactic acid bacillus, they are also Str. thermophylus and Lactobacterium bulgaricum. Plus fruits-berries and their substitutes.
Danakor
Information from the Danone website: "Clinical studies have proven that drinking 1 bottle of Danacor per day for 3 weeks helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by 10%. Further daily consumption of 1 bottle of Danacor per day helps to maintain cholesterol at a reduced level. It contains a plant component "phytonaturalis" (phytosterol), which partially blocks the absorption of "bad" cholesterol."
Phytonaturalis is, of course, a name invented for purely advertising purposes. With all its letters, it emphasizes the natural origin of the component and its importance for health. In fairness, let's say that phytosterol itself (more correctly, phytosterol) really helps to slightly lower cholesterol levels, since it is not absorbed by the body, but reacts with related cholesterol and washes it out of the body. For industrial purposes, it is extracted from soy, contained in much more impressive quantities in nuts and seeds than in Danakor.
Of course, there is not a word about this in the product advertisement, but there is an element of delicate intimidation "drink, or you will get sick" – when the viewer is shown middle-aged and elderly people who are frightened by the level of cholesterol in their bodies.
Activia
The supposedly unique bacterium ActiRegularis, which, according to the manufacturer, is able to survive in the acidic environment of the stomach, and therefore benefit in the human intestine, is in fact an ordinary Bifidobacterium animalis – a living bifidobacterium contained in the organisms of almost all mammals, including humans. ActiRegularis is, according to an old marketing tradition, just a beautiful patent name for one of the strains of this bacterium. The ability of Bifidobacterium animalis to survive in the acidic environment of the stomach and not be rejected in the intestine is confirmed only by studies by Danone and other companies producing products with this bacterium.
Rastishka
Fermented milk products under the brand name "Rastishka" are promoted to the maternal masses under the slogan "Grow for health". The active growth of the child should ensure an increased content of calcium and vitamin D in the products. On the packaging of the Rastishka it is indicated that 100 grams contain 180 mg of calcium, which is 20-30% of the daily physiological needs of the child. And also 10.4 grams of sucrose, that is, two teaspoons of sugar for less than half a cup. For comparison, there is no sugar in milk at all, and calcium – 120 mg per 100 g of the product.
Beauty Requires Marketing Sacrifices Frenzied competition forces us to invent new products with mind-blowing names and even more mind-blowing components aimed at creating and retaining female beauty.
Sometimes you can not invent, but only rearrange the words in places. For example, in the case of Garnier Color Naturals paint, marketers simply changed "olive oil" to "olive oil". And more beautiful, and does not cause thoughts about salad on the head.
Cashmere extract, which is popular today, which, judging by the advertising, is added to almost every second shampoo, is banal lanolin, that is, wax obtained by washing sheep wool. But lanolin is old, not fashionable, not expensive and not refined. Therefore, through long visits from the side and from behind, marketers decided to call the substance an extract – it's smarter, and wool was called cashmere – more beautiful and more expensive. And the fact that cashmere is strictly the fluff of strictly Himalayan mountain goats is no longer so important. The main thing is how it sounds.
(There is an opinion that cashmere extract is a water–glycerin solution of hydrolyzed keratin, not wax, but the essence of the joke does not change from this - VM.)
There are a lot of cosmetics on the market with other unique additives: extracts of pearls, amber, rock crystal and even microparticles of diamonds.
If for a second you imagine that with the help of acids and terrible chemistry, you can somehow extract some substances from organic minerals, which are pearls and amber, then how and what can be obtained from the purest silicon dioxide? And what effect will it have if you wash your hair with shampoo with a pinch of diamond dust on the entire bottle?
Or remember this – "Ordinary shampoos are 80 percent water. Shampoos "Clean Line" consist of 80 percent decoction of herbs." Needless to say, any decoction of herbs consists of 99% water?
Funny story with NIVEA Silver Protect "With silver molecules". The marketing of the product was invented with exactly this formulation (the mention of molecules is still on the official website), but then it turned out that silver simply does not have molecules – it either has atoms or ions. The advertisement was changed to "Silver ions". But the meaning remains the same.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru25.07.2011