Marketing has changed a lot in the last few decades of codi vore. Private companies have gained more and more control over the products that we consume on a daily basis. The change can be both good and bad, but it has become standard to see scandals in the form of food marketing as consumers try to navigate their new world. This article will explore some of these advertising tactics, what they mean for society, and what you can do about them.
So many advertisements are deceptive or misleading that people end up making unhealthy choices that affect our health in negative ways.
1. Get Rid of the Calories from Your Diet
One of the most prominent tactics advertisers use is getting rid of the calories from our diet. In order for a company to do this, it must first train us to believe in a false reality. We are taught that food is not complete unless it contains various nutrients and vitamins, but these things are not directly quantifiable on nutrition labels. Weight loss supplements and other products like energy drinks are marketed as having a great impact on our health, but this is impossible to quantify. So companies get rid of the calories by making it seem impossible to maintain weight without their product. These products may help you lose weight, but it is important not to be misled into believing that they are necessary for your health.
2. Training You To Believe In Your False Reality
As the food industry becomes more aware of the power of words, they have begun using a “false reality” approach in many of their marketing campaigns. They will attempt to persuade you into believing in a reality that is simply false and then attempt to sell you on it. This tactic is used quite frequently in food advertisements and many of them claim that their products will keep you skinnier or healthier than other foods. This type of language aims to convince consumers about the quality of their product, rather than its actual quality.
3. They Want To Keep You In The Dark
Another way marketers and food companies attempt to influence your behavior is by keeping you in the dark. In other words, they want you to be unaware of how they are influencing you. Studies have shown that people are more likely to trust advertisements when the media source that they consume the ads on is trustworthy, and this can be used to gain your trust. For example, if you are watching a news story about a product, it is easier for them to gain your trust by placing their advertisement at the end of what seems like an unbiased news program. So many companies have also started hiring celebrity endorsements for their products, which creates another layer of reason for consumers to believe what they have been told about a product. It is important to be aware of these tactics so that you can make the best decisions for your health.
4. Creating Fake Dietary News
This tactic can be used by food manufacturers and marketers who want to take a healthy-sounding noun and add a negative word to it to create fear in consumers. The word “fructose”, for example, has been used in recent years as if it has been classified by scientists as something that is bad for you. This is not actually true and the only reason fructose gets a bad reputation is because of products like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS has been shown to have worse health effects than natural sugar, but HFCS has a negative connotation that sugar doesn’t have. Many of the words used to describe different types of food are misleading and can be used to create fear in consumers. The word “hydrogenated” is another word that sounds scary and can be used to scare consumers into believing something is bad for them when it is actually safe for them.
5. Parent Approval Tactics
Advertisers also use tactics that children engage with more often, such as cartoons or celebrities, in order to encourage parents to buy the products their children will want. It is important for parents to be aware of what their children are watching and ensure that they are not bombarded by advertisements.
6. They Are Trying To Create A False Sense of Urgency
Another tactic companies use is creating a false sense of urgency. This can be accomplished in many ways, but one of the most popular is by using limited time offers or coupons. It is important to understand that these offers do not expire until they say they do, and you should never feel pressured into purchasing something on the spot if you don’t really want it.
Summary:
Many advertisers use deceptive and misleading language to sell their products, and this can have serious consequences on our health. We have seen many different types of deceptive marketing tactics used to sell us a product, but it is important that we are aware of how they affect us. By avoiding these foods and taking control of what we eat instead, we can improve our health and the quality of our lives.
