"Made with real ingredients" and other virtually meaningless marketing statements?

nickmack

One of the current trend of marketing phrases is the use of 'Unlimited'

This is inevitably followed in the small print by a fair use notice with a specified maximum.

Unlimited means without limit!

Spinner

TK Maxx takes the award for me: "Up to 60% less."

Step back and you realise it's meaningless; an item could be at full price and still be "up to" 60% less. In effect what they're actually saying is 'the maximum discount is 60% off'.

metalgal

the "new and improved" thing gets me as well. If its new then there wasn't anything there before it and if its improved then there WAS something there to begin with. WHICH ONE IS IT??? Is it something completely new or an improved version of the old one?

I saw something in the shop that said "60% more flavour." How is flavour measured?

gatra_2

MSE_Martin wrote: »

My favourite one was posted on my facebook blog discussion

"Nothing works faster than ariel"

In which case use nothing, don't use ariel!

"Hi Martin"
Nothing to do with the thread but I still smile each time she says it.....

My daughters favorite line is........

" Dad can I ask a Question?"
Er, you just have dear.......LOL

[Deleted User]

i'm in america at the moment, and one that made me chuckle are cans of Big Peach Juice Drink*

*does not contain juice.

The other one that gets me is TK Maxx: "Always Up To 60% off" - as in "we'll never give you a discount bigger than 60%"

Jolly_Green_Giant

Further to the mixed nuts 'may contain nuts' comment - tesco value milk used to (and probably still does) have an 'Allergy Advice' claiming it 'contains milk' :T

Paul_Herring

Jolly_Green_Giant wrote: »

tesco value milk used to (and probably still does) have an 'Allergy Advice' claiming it 'contains milk' :T[/FONT]

pgd_2

Guarana products make the bold claim that they contain "natural Caffeine"

Two plants produce caffeine, the Arabica plant, and..........the guarana plant!

Well done, you

wildthing01

i've always wondered about the various beauty products claiming that their effects last 'up to' so many weeks/washes etc. but this could mean just one day in practice. they could just say any old length of time - how could anyone prove or disprove it?

Eenymeeny

In the same vein as 'nothing works faster than Ariel' the same line was used for years with Anadin: "Nothing works faster than Anadin" while suffering from a bad headache etc the first thought was so why bother taking it?:(