“Scientifically proven, results guaranteed, improving immunity”- Do these words sound familiar to you?  Our lives are filled with misleading advertising. Through radio, posters, fliers, and as much as coupons, even if you never turn on your TV, the unethical touts can always find a way to reach you. Most of us have been victims of false advertising. The question is, will  companies change their marketing policies, or continue to prioritize profits over the consumers’ rights to know?

Bell, as one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, has also made various misleading claims to the consumers. As one example, Bell’s website advertised a bundle for home phone, internet and TV services starting as low as $69.90 per month. The lowest possible price, after the mandatory fees, was $80.27, or 15 per cent higher. This kind of scams is not new to us. We are constantly overwhelmed with misleading information. As today’s trend of advertising, companies always tend to exaggerate the effect of their products, disregarding the truth. It is the environment of prioritizing profit causes the dishonesty and irresponsible of the merchants. Even though we are protected under  the federal Competition Bureau, the unethical companies can usually find a legal loophole to escape the penalty. Although Bell has agreed to pay a penalty of $10 millions this time, there are still hundreds of on-going false advertising running in our daily lives. The penalty to Bell is only relieving the symptoms, but not a cure to the disease of our marketing environment. The blurring of pushing the truth and making false claims has caused the merchants to pursue their goals by fair means or foul.

“Love the property, seek for it properly.” As the Chinese old saying goes, a gentleman should have his noble wealth.

Source:

Bell Canada pays $10M over misleading ads

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/06/28/competition-bureau-bell-advertising.html