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Confessions of a Homeschool Dad
Dec. 7, 2006
Fun, FREE, Family Christmastime Entertainment
Have you noticed that most ads (TV and otherwise) are slightly manipulative? I worried about that in conjunction with my kids seeing some of them.
So, I devised a little game.
Here's the basics: Most ads, in an effort to be new and different OR to make something mundane seem a lot greater, will push the line of truth.
They won't actively lie to you (as it's illegal and they're not fond of jail), but they'll strongly imply things that probably aren't true.
The game is this - whenever there's a commercial on during Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (or whatever Christmas favorites you're watching as a family), be the first to point out the implication that leads to a false assumption.
AN EXAMPLE
For instance, many of you have seen those Head On commercials ("Head On! Head On! Apply Directly To the Forehead! Head On!"). Notice that, while they imply that it should cure a headache, nowhere in the ad does it make ANY claims as to headache curing.
In fact, it's the same if you look at their website. Here are the claims there:
1) Apply Directly to the Forehead
2) Available without a prescription.
3) Safe to use.
Nothing about "making a headache stop in 10 minutes" or, in fact, anything about headaches. Just that it's safe, available without prescription, and you should apply it directly to your forehead.
You could make the same, exact statements about water. Or potatoes. Or Chap Stick. Or bark mulch.
Now - try this out at your house and see how much fun it is (while, subversively, teaching your kids about the reality of ads).
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Dec. 8, 2006 - So...
Kate