1 of 1- RadioActive
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Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
Some radio spots are simply annoying. (I'm looking at you, Spence Diamonds and Lotto 649.) But there's nothing really wrong with that, even if it irritates listeners.
It's quite another thing when a spot exaggerates so much that it borders on the ridiculous and a lack of truth. There have been a series of spots for 1-800-GOT-JUNK that drive me crazy - and not just because they run on practically every station during practically every break.
A few months ago, they had one that promised, "We'll be there before you hang up the phone!", which - unless they keep you on the line for an hour and a half - was patently impossible.
But now one of the spots, in addition to promising they will make the birds sing and the squirrels in your backyard run, contains this line about the benefits of hiring the company - "Your children's grades will improve!"
Look, I get this is nitpicky and that you get to go a bit overboard in the copy to sell your wares. But this claim is completely false. There is no proof that hiring a junk remover will help your kids do better in school!
This firm has been guilty of this kind of thing for a while. Every time I hear one of their spots, I wonder how they're able to get away with it unchallenged. Because to me, it appears they've GOT JUNK in their ads.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
grilled.cheese wrote:
jest noun
- a thing said or done for amusement; a joke."it was said in jest"
[*]ADS are for purpose of attracting business, not an in one ear out the other with laughter in between.
- RadioActive
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
jest noun
- a thing said or done for amusement; a joke."it was said in jest"
You're still not allowed to outright lie in a commercial or make false claims. They clearly do.
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Thread Starter- pinto
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
I called 800 Junk once, 3 days later they showed up, full of apologies.. they loaded the bin/truck, said.. this is the price, I said no, you're 3 days late, this is what I will pay. Driver took the offer. Company reached out and offered a $50 card for my next removal, told them to keep it, would never use them again.
- Rune
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
I really think you are overreacting RA. Over the years I have read some truly ludicrous spots, but the idea always was very tongue in cheek. If you actually believe that somehow a product, with some obvious exceptions like Mathnasium, can actually help your kids in school, the problem isn't the copy; it's you.
- splunge
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
red bull gives you wings!
- RadioActive
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
I really think you are overreacting RA. Over the years I have read some truly ludicrous spots, but the idea always was very tongue in cheek. If you actually believe that somehow a product, with some obvious exceptions like Mathnasium, can actually help your kids in school, the problem isn't the copy; it's you.
Hey, I admitted it was nitpicky! But they keep making these outrageous statements in their commercials and they're demonstrably false. Isn't there some sort of rule against that?
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Thread Starter- paterson1
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Re: Whatever Happened To Truth In Radio Advertising?
I really think you are overreacting RA. Over the years I have read some truly ludicrous spots, but the idea always was very tongue in cheek. If you actually believe that somehow a product, with some obvious exceptions like Mathnasium, can actually help your kids in school, the problem isn't the copy; it's you.
Hey, I admitted it was nitpicky! But they keep making these outrageous statements in their commercials and they're demonstrably false. Isn't there some sort of rule against that?
Politicians make statements that are demonstrably false as well. Where are the rules for them? And people even keep voting them back in! All kidding aside, I agree with Rune, advertising when done in jest or fun or tongue in cheek is fine. This is what the annoying 1-800-GOT-JUNK ads are. If there had been a problem they would have been pulled a long time ago. Likely there could have been complaints already, but that doesn't mean that the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards or other agencies will agree.
As far as Red Bull is concerned, that is scary and a waste of time and money. Red Bull still uses the line from time to time, but now spell it wiiings to make everyone happy. This case was in the US only. People need to lighten up.