[GalFisk] Truth in advertising

[GalFisk]

How did an improved advertising practice give the impression that a product no longer worked?

[Sundowner64]

Is it a tangible product? A product that is sold in separate units to individuals? Can it be carried away?
Can the product be purchased by individuals? rented? used based on some privilege?
Is it provided by a private company? by the government (or government owned company)? by a non-profit organization?
Is it likely that most of us during our lifetime will buy or use this product?
No longer working as in: not functional any more? retired? put out of operation? no longer available? still available but without use?
No longer working because of: changes to the product? newer/better products available? changes of circumstances? change of customer's needs? change of the law?

[GalFisk]

Is it a tangible product? A product that is sold in separate units to individuals? Can it be carried away? Yes to all.
Can the product be purchased by individuals? Yes. rented? used based on some privilege? No to both.
Is it provided by a private company? This. by the government (or government owned company)? by a non-profit organization?
Is it likely that most of us during our lifetime will buy or use this product? You're highly likely to have bought or used this type of product, but perhaps not this particular product.
No longer working as in: not functional any more? This. retired? put out of operation? no longer available? still available but without use? Or perhaps this.
No longer working because of: changes to the product? This. newer/better products available? changes of circumstances? change of customer's needs? change of the law?

[Sundowner64]

Did the new advertising practice involve: new channels? reaching out to new target groups? new methods? new style of advertising? use of technology? AI? data analytics? guerilla marketing?
Was the product indeed changed? or did the advertising just give the impression that it had changed? that it became useless?
Was the impression that the product is not functional anymore intended? by the manufacturer? by the advertisers? Was the idea to motivate people to check it out?
Is the product a common household item? electronics? is it used up during use?
As you wrote it's something we might have bought in the past: is it something that is usually bought by young people? teenagers? twens? young parents?

[GalFisk]

Did the new advertising practice involve: new channels? No. reaching out to new target groups? No, but OTRT. new methods? No, but... new style of advertising? Noish. use of technology? AI? data analytics? guerilla marketing? No to all
Was the product indeed changed? No. or did the advertising just give the impression that it had changed? that it became useless? Yes to both.
Was the impression that the product is not functional anymore intended? by the manufacturer? by the advertisers? Was the idea to motivate people to check it out? No to all.
Is the product a common household item? Yes. electronics? No. is it used up during use? Yes.
As you wrote it's something we might have bought in the past: is it something that is usually bought by young people? teenagers? This, though I didn't mean to give the impression that you might have bought it in the past. twens? young parents?

[Biograd1]

Is it a type of food? drink? school supplies?

[GalFisk]

Is it a type of food? drink? school supplies? No to all.

[Biograd1]

Is it some sort of subscription/prepaid service? like text messages, phone data, etc.? something you consume by ingestion but that isn't technically "food" (such as chewing gum)?

[GalFisk]

Is it some sort of subscription/prepaid service? like text messages, phone data, etc.? something you consume by ingestion but that isn't technically "food" (such as chewing gum)? No to both.

[Sundowner64]

Is it a cosmetics item? hygiene product? household detergent? Is it made of paper? plastic? rubber? metal?

[GalFisk]

Is it a cosmetics item? hygiene product? This. household detergent? Is it made of paper? plastic? rubber? metal? None, but it's in a plastic container.

[jondahr]

Did the advertisers stop making some claim about the product? Because it was of dubious truth value? Or could be misunderstood? Did the stop claiming it was 99% effective? Or that it contained "electrolyte microfirmaments" or something like that?

[GalFisk]

Did the advertisers stop making some claim about the product? Because it was of dubious truth value? Yes to both. Or could be misunderstood? Possibly/irr. Did the stop claiming it was 99% effective? Or that it contained "electrolyte microfirmaments" or something like that? No to both.

[Sundowner64]

Is it liquid? gel? powder?
Is it used to clean the skin? to kill bacteria? to fight a common problem of teenagers, like acne?
Is it more likely to be used by girls? boys?

[GalFisk]

Is it liquid? gel? This. powder?
Is it used to clean the skin? Yes. to kill bacteria? Only by clenaing the skin. to fight a common problem of teenagers, Arguably. like acne? No.
Is it more likely to be used by girls? boys? This.

[jondahr]

Did the new wording of the advertisements carry a potential alternative meaning? Or was it just the fact that they no longer stated the thing they used to that made it seem useless in comparison to before? Comparison with other brands relevant?

Shaving relevant? Shaving cream/gel? Aftershave?

[GalFisk]

Did the new wording of the advertisements carry a potential alternative meaning? See next. Or was it just the fact that they no longer stated the thing they used to that made it seem useless in comparison to before? This. Comparison with other brands relevant? No.

Shaving relevant? Shaving cream/gel? Aftershave? No to all.

[Biograd1]

So it's some kind of body wash/shower gel?

Is it more likely to be used by boys because of how it's scented? because it's used before/after shaving?

Did the change in advertising neglect to mention that it's a body wash, potentially leading to some consumers thinking it's only effective for washing hands? or the face? or did the previous advertising suggest that it would make the user more attractive because of its scent, which they no longer did?

[GalFisk]

So it's some kind of body wash/shower gel? Yes.

Is it more likely to be used by boys because of how it's scented? Yes. because it's used before/after shaving? No.

Did the change in advertising neglect to mention that it's a body wash, potentially leading to some consumers thinking it's only effective for washing hands? or the face? No to both. or did the previous advertising suggest that it would make the user more attractive because of its scent, which they no longer did? You got it.

***SPOILER***

As a part of a 2016 pledge by their parent company Unilever to stop sexist stereotypes in their advertising, Axe body wash removed the "Unlimited female attention" graphic from their shower gel.

[jondahr]

Haha, good one!