Some of the claims seem very dodgy right from the start. Peloton claims 92% continued users success rate. I also remember many of there sales came during the height of the pandemic. When people can be prone to such purchases out of boredom, or the will was sincerely there. Like usual with gym equipment. 92 percent continued user's I don't believe an inflated claim. It would be a first in that industry.
Its not just there commercial, there are others.
Are consumer's being shoveled way too much poop?
In these capitalistic times I know there wouldn't be any other way.
Its not just there commercial, there are others.
Are consumer's being shoveled way too much poop?
In these capitalistic times I know there wouldn't be any other way.
I think, since most people are motivated to buy when they are impressed, marketing individuals know of this, and put it to their advantage. I remember the plain stupid ratings given to small computer speakers when PCs became multimedia capable. The ratings were plain stupid, but irrespecive of this, the sheeple believed them.
I remember, opening a pair of PC speakers and found they used a DIL chip without a heatsink the size of an opamp serving as the amplifier!
I remember, opening a pair of PC speakers and found they used a DIL chip without a heatsink the size of an opamp serving as the amplifier!
Totally believe it. In fact, I once heard that 95% of the old Lada Nivas that were sold are still 'on the road'. I believe that too. The other 5% made it home.
I don't know what Lady Nivas is but I'm going to guess some kind of yoga pants?
I actually do remember a car called a Lada, made in Italy ( I think ).
Lada was a very poor Fiat knockoff made in the Soviet Union. They were typically 30-40 years behind the times.
Still the Niva is/was a hell of a car. Cheap, reliable and absolutely capable for use in the tundra unlike many SUVs.
It has such a reputation that it went in production again as Lada Taiga or Lada 4x4 in 2014 but production stopped in 2021.
It has such a reputation that it went in production again as Lada Taiga or Lada 4x4 in 2014 but production stopped in 2021.
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I remember reading about how Ladas were built from old Fiat tooling and designs. They were built with thicker sheet metal and more suspension travel to seal with the Soviet roads. They were also fitted with better heaters and sometimes louvers in front of the radiator to increase the heat going into the cabin.
Supposedly they were better than the Fiats they were based on, which really isn't saying much.
Supposedly they were better than the Fiats they were based on, which really isn't saying much.
The Lada based on old Fiat 125 were terrible cars. This did not stop half the world to produce more or less the very same Fiat 125 under a different name. I recall the very heavy steering and bad road behavior. Its best quality was its low price.
The Niva/Taiga/4x4 is something else. Please note this is basically a 1975 design! The car was available for …12000 Euro… in 2020 in Germany. Yes they (can) have heaters to be able to survive Siberian winters when one gets stuck. The GAZ-69 is even more hardcore🙂
I would pick it over any other well marketed western brand for a trip in Russia, Kazachstan etc.
The Niva/Taiga/4x4 is something else. Please note this is basically a 1975 design! The car was available for …12000 Euro… in 2020 in Germany. Yes they (can) have heaters to be able to survive Siberian winters when one gets stuck. The GAZ-69 is even more hardcore🙂
I would pick it over any other well marketed western brand for a trip in Russia, Kazachstan etc.
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In the USA, the FTC (the regulatory body that generally deals with advertising claims) is inept at worst, and toothless at best. I've petitioned them a number of times personally and professionally with legitimate concerns re: ads / business practices that are directly in violation of regulations. There is no vagary, no gnashing of teeth required to interpret, just simple, direct violations. The response, if received, is generally something akin to 'meh, no biggie'.
Their mission...
THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION'S (FTC) MISSION: To prevent business practices that are anticompetitive or deceptive or unfair to consumers; to enhance informed consumer choice and public understanding of the competitive process; and to accomplish this without unduly burdening legitimate business activity.
It's that deceptive part that seems to trip them up. Maybe the enhance 'informed' consumer choice could use some fine tuning too...
In the case of the Peloton ad, Peloton can likely substantiate that claim. They state that 92% of HOUSEHOLDS that start off the year are active a year later. The fine print shows that they base this on internal data with ALL-ACCESS members joining in Jan or Feb from 2014 to 2021. App members are not included.
So, in a household of 5 people, if one is still active after a year... it counts. Also... what does active mean? They did one activity? They kept paying the bill? Within Peloton, you can do any number of fitness activities. If a household that owns a bike has a household member take a yoga class, does that count?
I think it's borderline, but far from the most deceptive / misleading things I've run across.
Overall, though I agree with a previous poster... Marketing is paid deception / lying.
Note - No disrespect intended toward the fine bureaucrats at the FTC. They're most likely woefully understaffed.
Their mission...
THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION'S (FTC) MISSION: To prevent business practices that are anticompetitive or deceptive or unfair to consumers; to enhance informed consumer choice and public understanding of the competitive process; and to accomplish this without unduly burdening legitimate business activity.
It's that deceptive part that seems to trip them up. Maybe the enhance 'informed' consumer choice could use some fine tuning too...
In the case of the Peloton ad, Peloton can likely substantiate that claim. They state that 92% of HOUSEHOLDS that start off the year are active a year later. The fine print shows that they base this on internal data with ALL-ACCESS members joining in Jan or Feb from 2014 to 2021. App members are not included.
So, in a household of 5 people, if one is still active after a year... it counts. Also... what does active mean? They did one activity? They kept paying the bill? Within Peloton, you can do any number of fitness activities. If a household that owns a bike has a household member take a yoga class, does that count?
I think it's borderline, but far from the most deceptive / misleading things I've run across.
Overall, though I agree with a previous poster... Marketing is paid deception / lying.
Note - No disrespect intended toward the fine bureaucrats at the FTC. They're most likely woefully understaffed.
For sheer marketing tripe, it's hard to go past the recent Mercedes C-Class advertising which claimed "It Changes Everything"
Really, "everything"?!
Geoff
Really, "everything"?!
Geoff
Convince you that you have a problem you don't really have, then sell you a "fix" for your "problem." That's marketing.
I find many memes in marketing stupid, even shocking and offensive. Marketers (ironically) seem disconnected from the word on the street. A most egregious example of this was the "Lolita" line of children's furniture. I wish I was making this up but I'm not. The most cursory research would have revealed just how shockingly offensive this was. Great research you eggheads. Another was a commercial where lobsters in a trap were dancing to the Chevy jingle as they rode in the back of the truck ON THEIR WAY TO BE BOILED ALIVE. It took some real high caliber thinking to come up with that. Can these marketing professionals even count to two? Maybe I'm a knothead, but stuff like this sticks out like a sore thumb to me.
I find many memes in marketing stupid, even shocking and offensive. Marketers (ironically) seem disconnected from the word on the street. A most egregious example of this was the "Lolita" line of children's furniture. I wish I was making this up but I'm not. The most cursory research would have revealed just how shockingly offensive this was. Great research you eggheads. Another was a commercial where lobsters in a trap were dancing to the Chevy jingle as they rode in the back of the truck ON THEIR WAY TO BE BOILED ALIVE. It took some real high caliber thinking to come up with that. Can these marketing professionals even count to two? Maybe I'm a knothead, but stuff like this sticks out like a sore thumb to me.
^ In fairness, in the USA, it is acceptable to use hyperbole in advertising with the reasonable expectation that people understand that they don't literally mean "everything".
I'm not saying it's a great tag-line, but it likely meets guidelines.
Who remembers the Ford marketing campaign where they tried to compare the Granada to a Mercedes? "It has four wheels and a steering wheel, just like a certain expensive German car. It has six cylinders, just like a certain expensive German car. It's painted silver, just like a certain expensive German car. Yes ladies and gentlemen, this rolling turd is exactly like a certain expensive German car, for one third the price."
That's a hard fail.
That's a hard fail.
My neighbor has one of those old Mercedes 300D that is immaculate. It doesn't even have a ding or a scratch. He proudly parks it in his driveway and it does attract attention. Yes it's silver.
I haven't seen any immaculate Granadas since around 1979. I did see a few crumble into a pile of rust though.
I haven't seen any immaculate Granadas since around 1979. I did see a few crumble into a pile of rust though.
The USA has the best, the largest this and that but the cars are of eh … pretty mediocre quality. I won’t speak of the food.
With the best marketing of course. Probably the marketing quality and the products quality are in direct inverse relation to eachother.
With the best marketing of course. Probably the marketing quality and the products quality are in direct inverse relation to eachother.
Haha, yes, I remember seeing a cheap set of PC speakers with a big "200 watts" displayed on the box.
But indeed, marketing has turned into an evil empire of sorts, loaded with rediculous claims.
And those back-to-back TV commercials of miracle drugs that promise living a better life.... LOL...... yeah, sure.
Most of those spots are laden with a long..... long list of side effects and warnings, naturally they have to include disclaimers....
What cracks me up is they claim to relieve ONE medical issue, then tell you 6 to 15 side effects!
"May increase heart failure"
"Possible vision problems"
...And the best one?..... "Thoughts of suicide"
By the time those commercials are done, I'm about ready to head to the bedroom to get out my Colt .38 and..... LOL!
But in all seriousness, I agree that marketing has gone wild.
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