Subtle Lies And Falsehoods in Modern Advertising

It is no secret that advertisers make false promises to win over prospects and attract customers to their business.

The most outrageous promises, such as false product claims, carry forth nasty consequences such as fines, revocation of business licences or in extreme cases – imprisonment.

The threat of these consequences, along with public disapproval, have prompted many advertisers to steer away from overt, malicious deception. That, in Western societies, is a terrain now left for conmen, criminals and those who wish to profit off of the adversity of others.

That said, misleading advertising remains a core part of the marketing landscape today. Only its deception has become more subtle than ever. So subtle, in fact, that marketers themselves may not be aware of the lies and falsehoods they are transmitting.

After all, most of us have been bombarded with marketing messages all our lives – through billboards, TV commercials, magazines and signs in physical stores. And repeated exposure to a particular belief – consciously or unconsciously – increases the likelihood that we believe it to be true. (And if we do reject it, we believe the exact opposite).

So, by the time a young marketer starts his career, he considers many “falsehoods” to be “facts”. Society has told him that they were “true”, and it is unlikely that he had any reason to doubt them – for that would mean doubting his family, friends and community too. These falsehoods then – easily – lead to false promises in the marketing materials he creates.

But what are these false promises that he – and any marketer – will unconsciously make? Are they always the same – or do they change according to the business he works for?

To answer that question, let’s consider the advertising claims made in different industries. On the surface, advertising promises in insurance are completely different from those in real estate, finance or law.

After all, insurance protects people from the cost of future threats, real estate offers shelter and comfort, while the legal industry helps people settle disputes. But if we look beyond the core function of each industry, and consider instead the promises behind the slogans, call-to-actions and testimonials, we see some predictable patterns.

We find promises of success, fame, happiness, love and riches. Or promises to avoid loss. Promises to keep your wealth, status, relationship and health intact.

This is understandable – as those are the main things most people strive for. Subconsciously, they are deeply unfulfilled by their life. And so, they respond favourably to anyone who can promise them “happiness”, “joy” and “pleasure” – or a temporary relief from their pain.

But they – just like the advertiser – fail to realise that most businesses offer merely a temporary fix for the pain. You can cover a wound with a plaster, but the plaster won’t make the wound go away. Healing comes from within, from our body and consciousness – not from magic pills that advertisers try to sell.

And so, for the consumer, there is little point in chasing goals, achievements or material gain –all that does is to supress the symptoms, not to cure pain.

Sure, we can stride in a particular direction – but when our striving comes from fear rather than curiosity and a desire for growth – we become pawns in the game of the advertising industry. It is then all too easy for advertisers to knock us out with “messages” that follow the predictable patterns I hinted at before.

These patterns themselves show in hundreds – if not thousands – or marketing messages. Because they are universally believed to be true, marketers can just repeat them and then many people will follow and buy – just like sheep follow the sheep at the head of the pack.

So, what do these subtle messages look like? What common words, phrases or ideas do they repeat?

Here’s a few common themes:

• “It’s not enough …”
• “You are not good the way you are. You need …”
• “We will solve your problem for you.”
• “You are missing something in your life.”
• “Our product is the solution or cure for your pain.”
• “When you have all the money in the world, and all the fame and glory, then you will be happy.”
• “Your life will be better when …”

So, what’s wrong – or dare I say false – about these messages? After all, most people have ingrained beliefs of lack. And these messages just mirror their idea that something is missing from their life.

Well, the problem is not so much that these are messages of lack, rather than abundance. The problem begins when the advertiser promises to take you back to wonderland, a land of abundance and bliss.

You see, the state of abundance is internal, and it is up to you feel the inner riches. Whether or not you find the promised land depends not so much on the advertiser, but on your outlook on life. This is why many people feel rich when they have enough food, a safe place to stay and loving family – while some multi-millionaire who compares his fortunate to the wealth of others still feels that “he is not enough”.  

The real solution to a state of lack, the one that always works – is not to buy a product or service (though that can help alleviate a lack), but to overcome your feelings of lack and insufficiency and instead enjoy what each moment has to offer.

Why advertisers make false promises

Very few people have left the cycle of childhood and media conditioning that tells them that “more is better” and that one should keep striving to outpace others.

But advertisers can only reach people where they are – so it is only natural that the bulk of media budgets reinforces the messages that consumers already believe. Advertisers then build on those messages to include promises and solutions with the product or service they offer.

So why don’t more people see through these “false claims”? Well, based on the law of attraction, self-deception attracts deception in one’s surroundings too – and false marketing claims and promises are just one manifestation of that.  

Leaving the matrix: Let go of self-deception

If you want to avoid being sucked into the vortex of false advertising claims, you have to decide to stop deceiving yourself. Otherwise, the advertiser is – as ironic as this sounds – merely an aid to further your self-deception.

After you have decided that you want to live an honest life, you can then begin a long process of questioning, challenging and taking responsibility for your life. You may start asking yourself many new questions, like:

• Why am I sometimes dishonest?
• Do I communicate how I truly feel in relationships – both personal and in business?
• Am I honest in the sense that I uphold my integrity and values in my profession and line of work?
• Do I make promises to others that I don’t intend to keep?
• Am I honest about why I make specific purchases?
• Which of my current and past goals are based on false promises?
• Where am I chasing an illusion?
• If I knew that achieving a particular goal would make me no happier than I am today, would I still work towards that goal?
• If I knew that buying a particular product would make me no happier than I am today, would I still buy it?
• What is my relationship like with lies?
• Do I use lies to protect myself or other people from uncomfortable situations and emotions?
• What beliefs have led me to lie in the past, and could those beliefs lead to more lies in the present or future?

These new questions will probably show you a side of yourself that you haven’t consciously considered. And as you see more and more of this side in the mirror, you may choose to make changes – changes to how you think, feel and act, that will cascade through your life.

As you make these changes in your life and your business, you may also start cutting old ties. You might stop work with suppliers that don’t serve you, refrain from buying unnecessary products and altogether pursue what you do with renewed clarity and focus.