Truth In Advertising

Why is it that truth is so hard to find in advertising? Why do companies think that making false and deceptive statements, to trick people into using their products instead of actually selling them on their virtues, is a practice that can work indefinitely? This style of marketing baffles me, and if you actually take a look around, it's everywhere.

Stores advertise "ROCK BOTTOM PRICES!!" on huge banners all across the front of the building, then happily charge you 20% more than the store down the street for the exact same product. You see, they didn't actually lie to you - they didn't say, "Our prices are lower than that store 2 blocks down." They just said their prices were "rock bottom," whatever that even means. Companies do this sort of thing all the time, making bold and loud statements that can't be disproved because there's nothing to compare them against. They list subjective opinions as though they were facts (you know, the way internet trolls do!).

It's fine to talk about how good your product is, and to list virtues that you offer, even to compare yourself favorably to other products and services... but somewhere, at some level, there has to be some kind of substance to what you're saying. Otherwise, what's the point?

You'll never hear me promise you THE BEST product on the planet. I won't tell you that only I can give you what I'm promising, that every other company out there is wandering lost in the dark. What I will promise, though, is that I'll deliver on what we agree to, and that I'll charge you a fair price (not whatever price I can get away with).

Isn't that a better kind of marketing? Let's have a little honesty for a change. Who knows? It might catch on!