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Bodytalk

By Stephenie Karony

Wednesday, October 20, 1999


Some ads too
good to be true

Question: How can I tell which health and fitness products are "for real" and which ones are bogus?

Answer: With the incredible number of products, equipment, gadgets, devices and services to choose from, it's no wonder the average consumer is confused. In my experience, about half of these so-called health and fitness products are substandard and/or fraudulent.

So how can we, as consumers, make educated buying decisions? Here are some things to look for. First, how is the product or service promoted, and how is it marketed? Does the product promise you something highly desirable, such as bigger muscles, better sex, quick weight loss, eternal youth, the perfect body or more energy? Whatever the promise, it's usually something even the wariest consumer desires. Be careful not to let your good judgment be affected by the appeal of these promises.

Does the promoter use words like "miracle," "wonder," or "breakthrough"? These are "hooks" - words designed to draw you in, as in the phrase "I'm hooked." Madison Avenue spends millions of dollars annually on advertising campaigns that lead us to believe if we use the product, we'll become irresistible. Infomercials and the internet are notorious for false advertising and for promoting fraudulent products and services.

One way this is done is by using the comparison/demonstration ploy.

To demonstrate the superiority of their product, sellers subject viewers to video clips showing the inferiority of a competing product. But the video, produced by the product manufacturer, is shot in such a way as to make the rival product appear worse.

Notice whether the product or service is supported entirely by testimonials, or by controlled scientific studies. Testimonials are the most popular tools of deception used by modern day marketers. Testimonials are when individuals offer anecdotal evidence based on personal experience.

This experience is problematic because it hasn't been tested against control subjects, so the individual doesn't really know if the desired outcome is because of the product or some unknown factor. And when advertisers present testimonial "evidence," they conveniently ignore all the other people who used the product without getting good results.

Testimonials are sometimes even staged. Yes, people are paid to endorse and promote products they've never even tried - it's called acting. Testimonials work because they showcase people who have succeeded at something such as losing weight, developing washboard abs, rubbing away their cellulite or becoming a better lover. Viewers are attracted to successful people, hence to the product that made them successful.

Testimonials support the attitude: "If he can do it, so can I."

Next, ask yourself if the promoter is believable, or is he or she overly enthusiastic? Does the promoter use pseudo-medical terms or make claims that seem miraculous? Do the suggested use and results of the product seem out of keeping with life experience? Here's an example:

"Rubbing (BRAND NAME) on your thighs once a day for just nine days will dissolve away all that unsightly cellulite that you've been wishing would just go away', for years."

Yeah, right.

If an ad sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There are no magic bullets, except maybe regular exercise. And taking a brisk walk doesn't cost much at all.



Stephenie Karony is a certified health
and fitness instructor, a personal trainer and the author of
"Body Shaping with Free Weights." Send questions to her at
P.O. Box 262, Wailuku Hi. Her column appears on Wednesdays.



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