Yeah Right!
Thursday, February 9th, 2006‘Tis the season for weight loss commercials. And if I’m going to have to live through the constant reminder that I too should be losing weight could they, at least, be slightly less painful to experience. There are two basic formulas, with a few noteworthy exceptions, but the bulk of my takeaway is: I’m not buying any of this crap! Formula one tends to be shots of obese and frumpy women who have miraculously transformed into body building babes. Do I look that stupid? How about sharing the missing link that let fat and frumpy get abs of steel! That’s just a little too much of a stretch. Among the stories of miraculous weight loss lives the Kirstie Alley/Jennie Craig adventure. And I’v
e gotta say, she’s lost 50 pounds and looks so much better. Just not enough better to be flying through the air over the heads of much smaller, skinnier guys in that dance sequence. Don’t you worry for their lives? I hate to be the first one to say it but “Kirstie, honey, you’ve got to work on the next 50!”
Formula two focuses on the doctor recommendation. One problem though – the doctor is 12 and graduated last week. Oh yeah, and the doctor is gorgeous because typically they’ve used the product. Are you kidding me? One model-like recent med school graduate even shows a picture of her three stunning kids. Hey guys, ever hear of credibility? I’m guessing no. And I have to ask myself, if you’re blatantly lying to me about this – how many others lies are there: no you won’t be hungry, oh yes, the food is delicious, you’ll feel better than you’ve ever felt, it costs pennies a day, with virtually no effort – all seem abundantly believable. Yeah right.
There is one weight loss ad that I admire. It has lousy production value and the writing is stiff and awkward but it makes a point that I can actually buy. The basic message is: when does it make sense to spend $150 on diet pills? When you’re over 20 pounds overweight and everything else had failed. I get that. I believe that. OK I do have other questions – but, at least, it gets me that far. What does all of this tell us? If you’re stuck on formulaic solutions – ditch them – they don’t ring true. And, if you’re an agency offering up formulaic solutions – shame on you!