13 Jul 14
One Ad Council PSA starts with piano music and a young child proclaiming she is 1 of 4 children in America that goes to bed hungry.
I agree with the intent of the ad, but the claim at the start undermines the intent by an astounding bending of the truth. Can we not get action from truthful PSA ads?
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13 Jul 14
Originally posted by normbenignwhat is the truth in your opinion?
One Ad Council PSA starts with piano music and a young child proclaiming she is 1 of 4 children in America that goes to bed hungry.
I agree with the intent of the ad, but the claim at the start undermines the intent by an astounding bending of the truth. Can we not get action from truthful PSA ads?
13 Jul 14
Originally posted by stellspalfieI am not certain. The implication of the ad is that 25% of American children go to bed hungry. That is absurd, in my opinion, on its face. The actual statistic, if not completely fabricated, is some misapplication of actual statistics or it may not reflect the totality of some survey. For example, it could be that a survey revealed that over a 60 day period, 1 out of 4 children went to bed hungry, not every night but at some time in the study period.
what is the truth in your opinion?
I know something of being poor, and I would not allow my children to be malnourished regularly. Who are the parents that would regularly not feed their kids. Combining that with the fact that among poor children obesity is a leading problem, I seriously doubt the implications of the ad.
Another Ad Council production has Smokey the Bear, repeating the old canard "Only you can prevent wildfires". Campfires and cigarettes account for a tiny percentage of "wildfires" which are wild, and usually result from lightening strikes and are a wild and natural phenomenon.
Does fiction just sell better than the truth?
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14 Jul 14
Originally posted by normbenigni dont know the add or the stats, the only thing i can offer is that it is perfectly possible for a child to be fat and hungry due to poverty. i dont know if you have ever eaten a mcdonalds burger, not exactly filling but rammed full of bad calories. cheap food is usually unhealthy food.
I am not certain. The implication of the ad is that 25% of American children go to bed hungry. That is absurd, in my opinion, on its face. The actual statistic, if not completely fabricated, is some misapplication of actual statistics or it may not reflect the totality of some survey. For example, it could be that a survey revealed that over a 60 day ...[text shortened]... strikes and are a wild and natural phenomenon.
Does fiction just sell better than the truth?
14 Jul 14
Unfortunately, companies and organizations get far too much leeway when it comes to making vague or misleading (rather than false) statements in their advertising. I would highly doubt that one in four American children go to bed hungry every night, although perhaps what they mean is that one in four children occasionally go to bed hungry, which seems quite plausible.
14 Jul 14
Originally posted by normbenignHere in Africa, the vast majority of bush fires are started by humans - deliberately.
Campfires and cigarettes account for a tiny percentage of "wildfires" which are wild, and usually result from lightening strikes and are a wild and natural phenomenon.
On Table Mountain, they tend to be started accidentally by humans - cigarettes being a major culprit.
In Cape Town, we almost never get lightening. In Zambia, lightening only occurs in the rainy season whereas fire season is before that when it is all dry.
Originally posted by normbenignThe only time you have issues with lying is when you lie to the IRS.
One Ad Council PSA starts with piano music and a young child proclaiming she is 1 of 4 children in America that goes to bed hungry.
I agree with the intent of the ad, but the claim at the start undermines the intent by an astounding bending of the truth. Can we not get action from truthful PSA ads?
Otherwise it is considered to be one of the joys of simply being human and a prerequisite for attaining public office.
14 Jul 14
Originally posted by whodeywow getting advice on lying from whodey is like asking a psycho killer for advice on ethics!
The only time you have issues with lying is when you lie to the IRS.
Otherwise it is considered to be one of the joys of simply being human and a prerequisite for attaining public office.
15 Jul 14
Originally posted by twhiteheadOf course the Smokey the Bear ads are aimed at a US audience, perhaps North American.
Here in Africa, the vast majority of bush fires are started by humans - deliberately.
On Table Mountain, they tend to be started accidentally by humans - cigarettes being a major culprit.
In Cape Town, we almost never get lightening. In Zambia, lightening only occurs in the rainy season whereas fire season is before that when it is all dry.
In regions with rainy and dry seasons, the rainy season would see the most lightning, but without ignition save rare instances.
My point in this thread was to wonder why a good cause needs exaggerations or outright lies to make its point. The food ad sponsors Forgotten Harvest which is a useful program which recycles food that used to be thrown out. Nobody I know is in favor of destructive wildfires, but the slick ads don't deal with real causes or solutions.