I get mad when I'm told "Brand X. For intelligent people." Whew, do they have to bring a chart of their IQ evaluation test in order to buy the goods? Is their any quality about the product that intelligent people can specifically benefit from (and no one else)? No, but they had no idea of what their claim might be, so they randomly chose one – which happened to be a preposterous one.

See, this is how advertising shots itself in the foot – as a profession. Repeatedly. Higher the budget, more bullets to shoot.

In Romania advertising is still a relatively new and honorable profession (car salesmen are doing good for the moment, too), but I suppose that the trend goes down. November Gallup phone survey on 1000 American adults reveals perceptions on honesty and ethical standards of various professions. The top of the list pertain to healthcare professionals, while "the bottom of the list belonged to lawyers, advertising practitioners, and car salesmen." [Nurses Top List for Honesty, WebMDHealth]

Here it is:


"Car salesmen brought up the rear with only 9 percent rating their honesty and ethics as high. That was one point lower than for people in advertising." [Survey: Nurses tops in honesty, car salesmen last, CNN]

"So what do we need to do in order to make a change?" asks Caffeine Godess,
"Be honest. There's no shame in it. It's not going to hurt. Respecting potential and current customers is a good thing. In fact it might actually benefit you." [Everyone distrusts advertising, Cup of Java]

I would add one more thing: common sense. Being ignorant or stupid is as bad as lying.

Finally, two observations: first, the survey may be course grained enough to assume that all communicators are advertising-based, which would be false – graphic designers and web designers, PR people or brand people are communicators, too – above the line advertising, though, has the lion's share in this. Secondly, the false or stupid claim may come straight from the client, but following rotten briefs seems to harm our credibility as communicators in the long run (as an industry), even more than the client's.