To the Editor,
Advertising seems to be getting even more dismissive of people’s intelligence than ever.
A few examples would include the following :
(I don’t mean such items as pickup trucks, where Ford, Chevy and Dodge Ram are all “the best” because truck buyers tend to be loyal to their own preference, and for them, their choice is always the best…the commercials are aimed at retaining market share.)
I mean campaigns such as those for reverse mortgages. Who best to take advice from?
A retired figure skater, or a talking house that likes caviar?
If you are considering a home generator, do you go with the company that tells you:
“When the power goes out you have no lights, and your appliances won’t work…” (Does anyone not know that?)
Then they tell you their generators are “designed, engineered and built for the sole purpose of generating power.” Are the other competitions’ generators not like that?
What non-generating things do competing generators do?
You want car & home insurance? Who’s best? The one with a giant who pushes school buses and lifts cars… the one a university grad lying on the sidewalk who can’t tell time… or the one that can be purchased over your phone?
Life insurance: Superb offers of life insurance for older people, featuring benefits “up to” $250,000 “for as little as” pennies a day….with no medical questions when you apply?
Truth is they quote a cost which would buy a VERY small payout for a 50-year old non-smoker …and the rate quoted is only good for one year. The medical questions come AFTER you apply.
Private medical insurance: Several companies saturating the commercial airwaves with ads are quite aggressive with how terrific the benefits are, but insurance companies do not struggle with their bottom line when it comes to healthcare policies. Virtually every company plan has a percentage factor applied to each claim, and an annual limit for each category. In many cases, a claimant will exceed the drug coverage limit, and almost every policy holder will exceed the dental limit, unless they have no work done.
The word “affordable” is rather misleading here.
Mike Robertson, Meaford
