Hyperbole in an Ad Makes an Impression, but Does It Work?
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I’ve laughed out loud at the Direct TV commercials in which the alleged shortcomings of its cable competition are illustrated with outlandish examples. The “It’s more annoying” spots introduce things like a car blowing up, people getting attacked by turtles or clowns, and a pedestrian molested by an inflatable balloon. All this hilarity has got me wondering whether hyperbole actually helps sell anything.
It sure has featured prominently in sales since selling began. Promises have always been overstated or otherwise illustrated with extreme examples, which is why I think people are somewhat suspicious of sales pitches. Regulations and culture have restrained advertising from the wildest claims, but allowed it hyperbolic latitude to make a point. It’s assumed that consumers know that Ma Bell and Betty Crocker aren’t real people, and Esso gas never put an actual tiger in your tank. When Hai Karate cologne ran commercials in the 1970s featuring a geeky guy fighting off bombshell babes, it wasn’t a promise of functional benefit as much as good creative fun.
That’s the rub. I was a dumb 15-year-old at the time, and I bought the stuff . . . only to discover that it didn’t work as advertised.
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