Some people just don’t get that fibbing in advertising is an awful idea.
An Internet ad popped up on my screen this morning disguised as an error alert message. When I saw the ad, I was shocked, not by the ad itself because this type of ad isn’t new. In fact, it’s been floating out on the web for about ten years now. What shocked me was that there are companies that still use this bait-and-switch form of advertising.
My department leader and I encountered a bait-and-switch method of a different kind when we went looking at a house he was thinking of buying. The house was pictured in a magazine but, when we drove to the address given, we noticed some glaring differences. While the house itself looked the same, the land around it did not. The real estate agent had obviously paid someone to edit the photo to remove the cattle fencing around the property and remove the huge, slopping hill in the front yard.
Why do this; why would you lie to potential customers? I understand you feel the need to get people to your website and feet to the property you sell but don’t lie to get them there. If you do, you’re telling your potential customer that you’re willing to lie. They’ll then wonder what else you’re willing to lie about including the benefits of your service, the effectiveness of your product, your willingness to price match, etc. Don’t forget, these people have friends and they’ll tell them of your deceptive tricks.
The problem is that you’re thinking only two feet out in front of you while you should be thinking a hundred feet. Do you think my department leader looked at any more houses listed in that magazine? He did not. Do you think that I will go to the company that displayed the error alert ad when I need anti-virus software? I will not.
Why would we do business with a liar?
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Lying in advertising, whether it is blatant or by commission, has got to be one of the dumbest thing you can do if you’re trying to persuade someone to buy from you. In order for a reader or visitor to be sold on an idea, they have to trust that you are not selling them a load of crap and most importantly, that they are getting what they think they are. Like you said, they have friends.
Thanks,
Katie
Thanks for commenting Katie!
When will these companies realize that they are deterring business instead of generating business?
The problem seems to be that there are enough people either too lazy or too ignorant to do anything about it. Personally, when I come across this sort of thing, I add them to my ever-growing list of people I would never buy anything from. It’s a big list. I have a similar blog her also:
http://www.lyingadvertisers.wordpress.com
If you have any people you’d like me to add to the site let me know. It’s a fairly new site, so not much yet, but it will grow.
Mark
I have to disagree. Lying is effective and makes people and companies rich. Take just the latest example overwhelming the internet by storm: Apple’s iPad. On Apple’s website it will tell you you can watch HD movies. New apps for the iPad are now called “(insert name here) HD”. The truth? iPads cannot do HD. They run a 4:3 aspect ratio and cannot show 720p. Yet people are buying them by the millions and they aren’t technically out yet.
Lying=$$$.