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30 Lies Companies Tell In Their Advertising With No Consequences
Philip Cotler, known as the father of modern marketing, once said, "Marketing is not the art of finding clever ways to dispose what you make; it is the art of creating genuine customer value." I wonder what he thinks about where marketing is heading these days with lies and manipulation.
Many people catch this deception. When Reddit user Glad_Cat_5129 asked, "What's the most blatant lie a company is currently getting away with in their advertising?" folks gushed with answers. We compiled the best ones for you to peruse, so just scroll through!
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#1
Your call is important to us…
We are experiencing a higher call volume…
If it was that important, they would hire people to answer the phones.
RELATED:
#2
Goodwill is not a charity. they are 100% for profit with ceo and people in corporate offices raking in millions every month.
#3
Flushable toilet wipes.
YOU CAN ALSO FLUSH A SMALL EXPLOSIVE BUT YOU REALLY F*****G SHOULDN’T.
Lying, manipulation, and deceptive schemes are all part of the dark side of marketing. Federal law says that an ad must be truthful, not misleading, and, when appropriate, backed by scientific evidence—and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces these truth-in-advertising laws.
You must be wondering how companies get away with it. That's where the loophole of puffery comes into play, which is a marketer's right to lie. It means that ads can legally lie to you as long as the lie is so obvious of an exaggeration that you know not to take it seriously.
#4
Every fastfood/restaurant commercial on what they claim their food looks like!! Lies, all lies! .
#5
>**UnitedHealthcare** is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives.
Direct from their website no less.
During the recent coronavirus pandemic, the FTC sent warning letters to companies that they determined may be violating the FTC Act. It warned them that their conduct was likely unlawful and that they could face serious legal consequences, such as a federal lawsuit, if they did not stop immediately.
But that's not all—if the company's competitors were to find out that they were lying in their ads, there's another challenge that they will have to face. The competitors can simply lodge a complaint with the National Advertising Division (NAD). The NAD has been around since 1971 and has adjudicated some 5,000 disputes over whether advertising was fair and accurate.
The unethical practice of lying in ads can be very tantalizing to companies looking to get quick results through marketing. However, such lies can actually sabotage a brand's reputation. Due to the digital revolution, consumers are becoming more conscious, and they do not like being lied to.
If they realize that they are being manipulated with such blatant lies, it could cause a wave of fury amongst them, resulting in them switching to a more trusted brand—thus, causing the previous brand to lose their loyalty. Well, it looks like these companies are causing harm to themselves by lying.
While lying in ads might seem like a quick way to boost sales, it can lead to serious long-term problems—like losing customers' trust, dealing with legal troubles, or hurting your brand's reputation. It just makes you wonder whether it's worth it in the end.
However, in the long run, misleading ads can cost way more than they’re worth. Fixing a damaged reputation takes a ton of time, effort, and money. Plus, once customers lose their trust, they’re likely to switch to competitors and warn others to steer clear of such lying companies and their brands.
#15
"Best Buy" was opened with the promise of their name being a guarantee. That guarantee didn't even last a week before they walked it back. Now it's one of the worst places to purchase low-end consumer electronics. Their actual name is a lie.
Let's look at a typical example of how lying can be really bad for companies. Kellogg Co., which is a prominent name in the breakfast cereal industry, claimed that their Frosted Mini-Wheats could improve children's attentiveness by around 20% compared to those who skipped breakfast. However, the FTC found that these claims were false and in 2009, Kellogg had to settle these charges.
Well, when you look at the impact lying has on these companies, it does make you think about why they would do it in the first place. It seems like their desire for quick results is clouded by how unethical it really is. Do you know of any other such companies that have gotten away with these lies? Please share them with us in the comments!
#16
One of the most blatant lies could be from companies claiming their products are "eco-friendly" or "sustainable" without offering clear evidence or certifications. Many brands use greenwashing tactics to appear environmentally conscious without making real, impactful changes to their practices.
#17
We are raising the prices so we can keep delivering you great products.
Also, that thing you like and buy our products for? Yeah we don't do that anymore.
#21
Every single car dealership in American advertising any kind of deal. They're all made up b******t, either they don't have the inventory to support the deal or they are for trim levels or combinations the dealerships just don't order. Those "deals" are entirely to trick you into just coming to the dealership.
IMO though dealerships should be phased out, why can't I just order a car direct? Why do I, by law, need to go through some random dude who buys hundreds of them and ends up marking up the cost with useless dealer add-ons?
#22
Kohl's putting things "on sale." Everything on sale is the same price as it is in other stores, and everything that isn't is wildly overpriced. Found a paid of Enzo shorts in Kohl's for like $100 last summer. The ones on sale were closer to $40.
#24
Loblaws in Canada and most of their stores advertising "lowest prices" on things they are clearly wildly overpriced.
#26
A brand of ginger ale here says it's "made FROM real ginger". Ginger is the ingredient present in the smallest amount. I've made real ginger ale from real ginger and I use several times as much ginger as sugar.
I wouldn't mind if it said "made WITH real ginger".
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