Advertising mistakes

All of us have a pet peeve against some advertisement or the other and we wonder how such ads are even allowed to be aired or printed! Well, some people do complain, and as a result advertisers are forced to remove their ads or modify them. The ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) receives complaints and acts on them. The number or complaints in India are far fewer that in developed counties, but some good work is being done in this area in India too.

If you ever wondered why some ads or television commercials simply disappeared or changed, well, it’s because some enterprising soul complained. Here is a small list of some of the ads which came under the chopping block last year (January to September 2008).  I have categorised the complaints under the headings of 1) unsubstantiated ads, 2) ads which lie, 3) ads which mislead, 4) ads which offend the sensibilities of people and 5) ads which can be dangerous.  Here they are:

Unsubstantiated claims (Claims need to be substantiated by trials from independent and recognized institutions)

·                            The Dettol Soap TV commercial (TVC) had said that their product “eliminates the organisms [of cough and cold] ten times faster than other soaps” and that it also eliminates “organisms that cause gastrointestinal diseases”. Neither of these claims could be substantiated by the company and they were forced to modify their ad.

·                            The VLCC Shape Up Anti-Cellulite Oil and Gel made the unsubstantiated claim that “It reduces flab and firms skin. Beautiful arms and Legs in just 14 days.” By the time the ASCI demanded that the ad be withdrawn, the ad campaign had already concluded (July 2008)!

·                            Olay’s (Procter & Gamble) Total Effects Cream, which claimed to be India’s “best Anti-Ageing cream” in a TVC had to be withdrawn as the company could not substantiate its claim.

·                            The Ponds Flawless White TVC had claimed that “only the Ponds Flawless White cream can make your skin flawless in 7 days of usage.” This had to be withdrawn due to similar reasons.

·                            The Garnier Light Fairness and Dark Spots Prevention daily moisturizer commercial claimed that anyone using the product can get “2 times fairer in just 7 days.” The ASCI concluded that this was impossible, and the commercial had to be modified, even though there was a qualification in the ad that “individual results may vary.”

·                            Henkel’s Mr. White detergent had claimed that it was better than other detergents but could not produce any evidence of it, and the ad had to be modified.

·                            Haier ACs had a print ad which claimed that their AC’s provided “51% power savings”, along with other product claims, but the ASCI asked them to modify the ad as their claims were thought to be incorrect.

When it comes to unsubstantiated claims, cosmetic ads seem to be the worst!

Wild claims bordering on sheer lies.

·                            In an ad for Hyundai Verna which appeared on the company’s website, it was claimed that the car’s diesel variant “CRDI VGT” had a fuel economy of 32.8Kmpl! This wild claim could not be substantiated and in fact a customer claimed that he had not got more than 11 kmpl! This ad had to be discontinued.

·                            A print ad for Nai Dunia claimed that it was the “No.1 in Indore City” and the source mentioned was an unnamed “Private Survey.” But when in truth, the IRS (Indian Readership Survey) and the NRS (National Readership Survey) both showed that it was the Dainik Bhasker which was far ahead of NaiDunia. The ad had to be modified by the advertiser.

·                            Sanjeevan Retinopathy Clinic actually advertised that their “treatment” cures blindness, besides other things. The advertiser had to modify the advertisement.

·                            Another much publicized case was that of Tata Sky. They claimed that it was now offering its supersaver pack at Rs 200/- instead of Rs 300/- This was found to be an outright lie as the new, cheaper, package came without some premium channels! So all that the company was actually doing was offering a cheaper option. The company had to withdraw their TVC.

Deliberately confusing and misleading!

·                            Alapatt Jewellers which was advertising its 16 Gold & Certified Diamonds in a print ad, stated that “916 Purity should be there not only in the advertisement but also in the gold ornament”. This was considered to be vague and confusing and the advertiser had to withdraw this line. Their other claims that “Without hall marking there is no purity and will not get good price when exchanged” was considered misleading as 916 hallmarked gold is sold by almost all jewellers! And in any case, the exchange price is at the discretion of the jeweller and also depends on the market price.

·                            A TVC by Tata Teleservices showed film star Kajol helping three girls to connect to the internet by plugging in her own USB modem into their laptop and this gave the impression that this modem could connect to the internet anywhere. But the false impression given was that this modem was a “plug and play device” which it was not. There is an “installation procedure” which needed to be followed. The company was forced to withdraw this ad.

·                            The TVC of Gilette Victor Plus Blade was so misleading as to border on a total lie. It said that the blade lasted for 3 weeks but the fine print (which appeared too briefly on the screen to be read) said that “on the basis on one shave every 3 days.” ! This TVC had to be withdrawn.

Ads offending the sensibilities of people

·                            The Sisley Fall Winter Collection promotional e-mailer was found to be offensive by some. The headline said: – “You’ll melt once inside” and this was accompanied by a picture of a woman in a seductive pose. This, a complainant said, was nothing but pornography. The advertiser had to withdraw this mailer.

·                            A television ad of the ING Vysya Life Insurance showed the father of a young girl distressed at the cost of the higher education of his daughter. Visually this was shown by the ground breaking beneath him! In another scene, a father was shown to be distressed by the birth of a baby girl because of the financial cost involved…and again the ground was shown to be breaking underneath him. This ad was considered anti-women…but even though the ad was asked to be withdrawn, by that time the ad campaign had already ended, in February 2008.

·                            Parle Agro had a TV ad for Mintrox Mint in which mentally challenged people were shown in a bad light and this television commercial had to be withdrawn by the company.

·                            I guess most of us remember the AXE deodorant (Dark Temptation) TVC which showed a man covered with chocolate being licked and bitten by girls. This ad had to be modified. Several complaints were received against this commercial.

Dangerous ads

·                            Godrej’s television commercial showed a person happily inhaling the fumes of Good Knight Maha Jumbo Mosquito Coil! This ad was considered harmful for public health as these fumes contain insecticide. This TVC was withdrawn.

·                            There were some TV commercials which came under fire for showing dangerous driving, with warnings too fine to be noticed by consumers. One was for Thums Up, one for Kentucky Fried Chicken and one for Bajaj Pulsar. All these TVC’s had to be modified by the advertisers.

Just want to mention a really strange ad which I couldn’t put into any category. The print ad for Dabur’s SaniFresh Thick Toilet Cleaner had this headline: “Thick. The secret of my shiny, silky hair” and it was accompanied by a picture of a woman with long silky hair! Not surprisingly someone complained that this ad seemed more like an ad for a shampoo and that some vulnerable person might actually think it is an ad for a shampoo and wash her hair with Sanifresh! The ad had to be withdrawn.

I have not mentioned all of the complaints made to the ASCI (some were not upheld and this list is not available) or even all of the complaints which were upheld.

Overall though there is a dire need for more complaints from ordinary citizens. Often it is rival companies or consumer groups which file a complaint but individuals can also do it. Theprocedure is a simple one and the identity of the complainant is not revealed to the advertiser.

http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/advertising-mistakes/

Quotes tagged as "mistakes"

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." 
— Marilyn Monroe


"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." 
— Albert Einstein


"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes." 
— Mahatma Ghandi

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." 
— Napoleon Bonaparte

"Tomorrow is fresh, with no mistakes in it." 
— L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)




"We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us." 
— L.M. Montgomery


"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it." 
— Salvador Dalí


"Smart people learn from their mistakes. But the real sharp ones learn from the mistakes of others." 
— Brandon Mull (Fablehaven)


"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." 
— Mahatma Ghandi


"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment." 
— Rita Mae Brown (Alma Mater)


"Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time." 
— George Bernard Shaw

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show_tag?name=mistakes&page=2

How to Admit Your Mistakes

OK, you screwed up. Something’s gone horribly, horribly wrong, and it’s all your fault. And now, it’s time to pay the piper.

Maybe you lost your company’s big client. Maybe you forgot to do a critical part of that big project. Maybe you weren’t there for someone when they needed you, even when you said you would be. Whatever the situation, someone trusted you to do a job and you failed.

Now you’ve got to tell them.

The instinctive reaction to a situation like this is “duck and cover” — protect yourself by any means necessary. Depending on how badly you screwed us, it could mean the end of your job, your career, your relationship, your status, or your reputation.

“Mistakes were made.”

Most people will try to weasel out of their mistakes. There’s a whole language of “weasel-words” people deploy to defer attention away from themselves, to downplay the seriousness of the situation, or even to deny anything went wrong at all.

The all-time universal champs at weaseling are government officials, and their all-time favorite way to weasel is the non-admission of guilt embodied by the phrase “mistakes were made”. It’s what Nixon said about Watergate, it’s what Reagan said about the Iron-Contra affair, it’s what Hillary Clinton said about Whitewater, it’s what Alberto Gonzalez said about his firing of federal prosecutors.

Mistakes were made, but not by me — that’s the implication. They just kind of… happened. Nothing to worry about, really, just mistakes, you know — they were made. Move along, nothing to see here.

“I made a mistake.”

The problem with dodging the bullet is that the bullet is still flying, and still needs to be dealt with — if you dodge it, then it will probably hit someone else. “Whew!” Except not; if you’ve pinned your reputation on your ability to do the job, whatever the job, right, then the failure is still going to stick to you. Plus, you’ll have lost the trust of the people around you, especially the ones who ended up paying for your mistakes, whether by taking the blame or cleaning up the mess. Or, in the worst case, you’ll have distracted enough attention that the mess doesn’t get cleaned up at all.

On the other hand, admitting your fault puts you one step closer to dealing with it, and can often be the first step towards a successful turn-around. At the least, though, it shows that you’re someone with integrity and courage, even in the face of disastrous consequences.

Here are a few pointers about ‘fessing up and dealing with your mistakes:

·                                 See things from someone else’s perspective: If you’ve made a promise and failed to keep it, put yourself in the other party’s shoes and see how things look from there. How would you feel? What would your response be if you were them? And what action would satisfy you?

·                                 Be sympathetic: Realize that your mistakes might affect many more people than just you, and recognize the pain you’ve caused. A little bit of sympathy can well be the opening you need to set things right.

·                                 Take responsibility: Don’t try to weasel out of it, and don’t look around wildly for someone else to blame. Even if your failure came about because someone let you down, you’re ultimately responsible for the projects under your authority.

·                                 Accept the consequences: It’s hard, I know, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet and take your lumps. Few actions come without any consequences at all; be prepared to embrace whatever befalls you as a result of the mistakes you’ve made.

·                                 Have a plan: Taking responsibility means being prepared to clean up the mess, which means you need a plan. You should have a clear idea of what went wrong and how you can fix it — and how you can avoid it in the future.

·                                 Be sincere: Don’t pretend to feel sympathy or act phony so that the other person can see how deeply you care. Don’t play the martyr. Show honest emotion — the first step to rebuilding the trust lost.

·                                 Apologize. No, really. A lot of people go to great lengths to make up for their mistakes — or to hide them — when a simple “I’m sorry” would do the job, and cause a lot fewer hard feelings.

None of these tips will prevent the worst from happening — you may still lose your job, your client, your partner, or your friendship. But you’ll have done so with dignity, instead of disgrace — allowing you to walk away with your head held high.

And by taking full responsibility for your mistakes and acting appropriately, you’ll have set yourself on a path to failing successfully — to learning what there is to learn and moving forward with grace and purpose.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/management/how-to-admit-your-mistakes.html

DO YOU MAKE THESE 10 MISTAKES WHEN YOU BLOG?

Assuming you want to increase your blog traffic, there are certain mistakes you must avoid to be successful. If you commit these mistakes, your traffic will never gain momentum. Worse, it may plateau or begin to decrease.

How do I know? After writing more than 1,000 posts and receiving more than 20,000 comments, I have made most of the mistakes you can make—numerous times. As a result, I have begun to see certain patterns emerge. These are my top ten traffic-killers.

·                                 Mistake #1: You don’t post enough. Hobby bloggers may go weeks between posts. But frequency is what separates the men from the boys. You cannot build solid traffic without frequent posts. I have seen time and time again (via Google Analytics) that there is a direct correlation between frequency and traffic. The more I post—within reason—the greater my traffic.

·                                 Mistake #2: You post too much. Yes, this is possible, too. I don’t need to hear from anyone more than once a day—unless it is a group blog or a news site. You would do better to focus on writing one really great post a day rather than several mediocre ones. The trick is to find your frequency sweet spot. For me, it is four to five posts a week.

If a post starts getting too long, consider breaking it up into several posts.

·                                 Mistake #3: Your post is too long. Seth Godin is the master of the short, pithy post. His are usually in the 200–400 word range. I shoot for less than 500 words. But I often post 750 words and sometimes more. You can get away with this if your posts are “scannable”—that is, you make use of subheads, lists, and other devices that keep people moving through your content. If a post starts getting too long, consider breaking it up into several posts.

·                                 Mistake #4: You don’t invite engagement. When I talk about “engagement,” I am referring to a combination of page views, reader comments, and social media mentions. Postrank.com is a great tool for measuring this kind of engagement. The posts that generate the most engagement for me are those that are controversial, transparent (especially about failure), and open-ended. This is why I try to end every post with a question.

·                                 Mistake #5: You don’t participate in the conversation. When bloggers don’t participate in conversation by commenting on their own posts and responding to their readers, it is like hosting a party at your home, making a brief appearance, and then disappearing. In any other context, this behavior would be perceived as rude or odd. The same is true in blogging. People want to have a conversation—with YOU.

When you use subheads, lists of bullets or numbers, it draws readers in by making your content accessible. Shorter paragraphs also help.

·                                 Mistake #6: You don’t make your content accessible. Since I am in the publishing business, I often get asked if I think people are reading less. The simple answer is “No.” In fact, I think they are reading more than ever. But they are reading differently. Readers have shorter attention spans. They are scanning content, looking for items that interest them. When you use subheads, lists of bullets or numbers, it draws readers in by making your content accessible. Shorter paragraphs also help.

·                                 Mistake #7: You don’t create catchy headlines. According to Brian Clark, who runs the must-read site, CopyBlogger, “on average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest.” This means your headlines are the most important thing you write. Fortunately, Brian has an entire series of posts called “How to Write Magnetic Headlines.” I suggest you read every post.

·                                 Mistake #8: Your first paragraph is weak. This is critical. Assuming that you have written a great headline, people will next read your first paragraph. You must use this paragraph to pull them into the rest of your blog post. Start with a story, a promise, or a startling fact. The idea is to grab their attention and hang onto it. Many bloggers spend too much time trying to setup the post or provide context. Just get to the point.

·                                 Mistake #9: Your post is off-brand. I have often been guilty of this one. If you are a hobby blogger, you can get away with the occasional post that strays from your primary message or brand. But if you are trying to build traffic, you need to find an editorial focus and stick to it. A tighter focus leads to higher traffic. This is why I have tried to narrow my own focus to three areas: leadership, social media, and publishing. If I want to write on something else (e.g., fitness), I do so through one of these three lenses.

·                                 Mistake #10: Your post is about YOU. Unless you are a mega-celebrity, readers don’t care about you. Not really. They care about themselves. They want to know what’s in it for THEM. Your personal stories can be a doorway to that, but in the end, the best posts are about your readers’ needs, fears, problems, or concerns. Always ask, “What’s the take-away for my reader?”

There are other mistakes, too; I doubt this list is exhaustive. But I think I have covered the major ones. If you can avoid these, you will be well on your way to increasing your traffic and growing your audience.

http://michaelhyatt.com/do-you-make-these-10-mistakes-when-you-blog.html

6 common photography mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Whether you’re on the other side of the world or wandering your own neighbourhood, you’ll soon realise that the sights that have you reaching for your camera are fleeting photo opportunities.

With this in mind, you really need to be prepared to capture such moments. Here are the six most common mistakes that can leave you with an ordinary image – instead of the masterpiece it should have been.

1. Not having a strong point of interest

The very first thing to consider is the subject – what is it and why are you taking a photo of it? Successful images have a point of interest: the key element around which the composition is based. It’s probably the thing that caught your eye in the first place and should be able to draw and holds the viewer’s attention.

2. Not getting close enough to the subject

Good compositions leave no doubt as to the subject of the photograph. How do you make sure this is clear? A good way to start is to fill the frame with your subject. This helps to eliminate unnecessary or unwanted elements and overcomes the common mistake of making the subject too small and insignificant, which leaves the viewer wondering what the photo is supposed to be of. Often just taking a few steps towards your subject or zooming in slightly will make an enormous difference.

3. Focusing on the wrong part of the composition

The sharpest part of the image should be the point of interest, so take care when focusing. If something other than the main subject is the sharpest part of the composition the viewer’s eye will rest in the wrong place.

Most compact cameras and all SLRs have a focus-lock facility, activated by depressing the shutter release button halfway, which you should be confident using. It allows you to produce more creative and technically better pictures by locking the focus on the main subject then recomposing without the camera automatically refocusing.

4. Placing the subject in the middle of the frame

Centering the subject often contributes to a static composition so you should aim to place the point of interest away from the centre of the frame. As you’re thinking about where to place the point of interest, keep in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ that has traditionally been the starting point for successful composition. As you look through your viewfinder or study the LCD screen, imagine two vertical and two horizontal lines spaced evenly, creating a grid of nine rectangular boxes.

Try placing the point of interest, or other important elements, on or near the points where the lines intersect. For example, if you’re taking a portrait, the subject is the person’s face and the point of interest would be their eyes. In a landscape the point of interest may be a boat floating on a lake; place the boat on one of the intersections and also position the horizon near one of the horizontal lines.

5. Including elements that conflict with the subject

Avoid including other elements that conflict with the main subject. Look at the space around and behind your subject and make sure nothing overpowers it in colour, shape or size. What you leave out of the frame is just as important as what you leave in.

Do you really want power lines running across the facade of the most beautiful building in the city? It’s fine if you do, but not if you didn’t notice them in the first place! Scan the frame before pressing the shutter release, looking for distractions and unnecessary elements.

6. Not thinking about the direction of the light

The direction of the light and how it is illuminating your subject, whether it’s the natural light of the sun, incandescent lighting indoors or at night or flashlight, can make or break a photograph. That’s why it’s vital to observe the light. If you are aware that it’s striking your subject in the wrong place – for example, if the facade of a beautiful monument is in shade, or if someone’s hat is casting a shadow over half their face – then you can take action.

Either move the subject, move yourself or, if the subject isn’t going to disappear, wait a while or return at the appropriate time of day. Once you’re in the habit of considering how the light is falling on your subject you can select a viewpoint and time of day so that the light enhances your subject, rather than detracts from it.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/travel-tips-and-articles/76046