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From: gast@maui.cs.ucla.edu (David Gast)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,alt.activism,talk.environment,comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Advertising is bad
Keywords: DMA Suppression junk-mail recycling activism
Message-ID: <1991Feb9.070838.15264@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 9 Feb 91 07:08:38 GMT
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In article <1991Feb5.153346.6523@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> hes@ccvr1.ncsu.edu (Henry E. Schaffer) writes:
>In article <1991Feb1.054640.1441@cs.ucla.edu> gast@maui.cs.ucla.edu (David Gast) writes:
>> ...  I don't want to
>>see any advertising unless it has true informational value.  Period.
>>Can't remember the last ad I saw that had true information value.

>  There clearly is a distinction between "consumer" ads and what I'll
>call "industry" ads.

Yes, the trade press is useful.  If you read the trade press for, say,
food processing, you can learn what chemicals can be added to deceive
the consumer.  If you read, the ad for a food using the chemical (or even
the label), it will probably say something like 100% healthy, natural, no
cholesterol, light, etc.

One of the favorite techniques is called ``sophisticated flavors.''  You
put stuff like plastic in the food and the consumer is supposed to think
he is getting real seeds.  ``Caution: This product may contain seeds.''

>gives the 800 number to call for info or to sign up for the seminar.

You should never call an 800 number from your home unless you want to
the receiver to be able to know your phone number.  You should also
not call companies with ISDN or caller id, etc.

David Gast
gast@cs.ucla.edu
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