Right now there is this advertising campaign for a new sports drink called Powerade Option that has only 10 calories per serving. This would be fine if they just advertised it as such, a low-calorie watered-down sports drink; but this is simply not the case. The advertising agents for Powerade decided that instead of hyping their own new product, they should compare it to another and (obviously) theirs comes out better no matter how you look at it. The claim they make is that Gatorade has 5 times the calories per serving (10 < 50 is their graphic) and therefore Powerade Option is the superior drink for those who are active and care about their health. But as an athlete, calories are important to sustain energy, hence the calories in Gatorade. Gatorade was invented as a superior version of water that would replenish the calories you lost while exercising without weighing you down; so to me, Powerade Option is 1/5 as effective as Gatorade.


Advertising always makes bold claims which are generally not even true. Whether it is the way video games are advertised using cut scenes to generate hype for a game with far inferior gameplay graphics than what is shown in the commercial, or the way fast food is made to look like it's actually edible. Ever see a Little Caesars or McDonalds commercial and then you get that exact item advertised? I bet you were disappointed, cause the Burger on TV is definitely not the same as the one prepared by the half-wit on the grill.


Advertising preys on the stupid especially. Ever see an infomercial? There was one on the TV at work this morning for "Yoga Booty Ballet" that was just hilarious. The product advertised was a workout video that combined Yoga, Hip-Hop dancing and ballet into a single goofy workout. Three easy payments of $19.95...the "as seen on TV" type products are always priced at $19.95 no matter what because anything under $20 can be an impulse buy for the average American. If a product can be priced higher, they just say $19.95 (with 3 easy payments written in a way so it's not overtly obvious to the viewer). But they always throw in that shipping and handling charge of $5.95, or 30% of that original price just to jack it up without the buyer realizing it because these companies certainly don't have to pay 6 dollars to ship a DVD.


BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! YOU GET A FREE GIFT!


Maybe it's just me, but isn't the definition of a gift something given to someone voluntarily without charge? Every one of these infomercial style advertisers always have that phrase at some point during the advertisement. Does that really convince someone they should buy that product? Don't they realize that everyone who orders it will get the same "free gift" which is basically just something that's included in the price? The fact that QVC is still in existence is just sad to me.


So that's my rant on advertising, now you understand why I listen to my MP3 CD player in my car, NPR at my desk and watch my TIVO (well, Windows Media Cener) at home. That way I only have to be subjected to advertising when I'm driving (signs everywhere), while at work (the TVs tuned to cable news), while on the internet, while walking around town, while eating, while hanging out with friends (Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike logos...)...okay, so I can't get away from it. Well, a man can dream...