The main new idea that I picked up from last week's readings is that the key to advertising is just including a whole bunch of 'weasel words' - words that make the audience think the author's being legitimate that actually are complete and utter lies. In order to investigate how 'weasel words', well, 'weasel' their way into advertisements, I sawed this boat in half! I wish. But I will be investigating the commercial where that immortal line came from:
"Hi, Phil Swift here with Flex Tape! The super-strong waterproof tape! That can instantly patch, bond, seal, and repair! Flex tape is no ordinary tape; its triple thick adhesive virtuallywelds itself to the surface, instantly stopping the toughest leaks. Leaky pipes can cause major damage, but Flex Tape grips on tight and bonds instantly! Plus, Flex Tape’s powerful adhesive is so strong, it even works underwater! Now you can repair leaks in pools and spas in water without draining them! Flex Tape is perfect for marine campers and RVs! Flex Tape issuper strong, and once it's on, it holds on tight! And for emergency auto repair, Flex Tape keeps its grip, even in the toughest conditions! Big storms can cause big damage, but Flex Tape comes super wide, so you can easily patch large holes. To show the power of Flex Tape, I sawed this boat in half! And repaired it with only Flex Tape! Not only does Flex Tape’spowerful adhesive hold the boat together, but it creates a super strong watertight seal, so the inside is completely dry! Yee-doggy! Just cut, peel, stick and seal! Imagine everything you can do with the power of Flex Tape!"
Although 'help', 'can be', and a couple of the other biggies are nowhere to be found, there are some big no-nos here. The #1 word here is 'virtually'. 'Virtually' was one of the top weasel words in Lutz's original article, and it makes a pretty big difference here. While Phil Swift's incredible product may 'virtually' weld itself to the surface, what our favorite multi-adhesive product spokesman is really saying here is that Flex Tape doesn't actually weld itself to the surface of anything. I looked at another one of Phil Swift's commercials and this whole 'virtually' scheme seems like a very common theme: "Just a quick shot and Flex Seal Clear fills in cracks and holes while remaining virtually invisible." It ain't invisible. Good job, Phil. But, in all seriousness, using the word 'virtually' is a really sneaky way of attracting people to your not-as-good-as-it-seems product. 'Virtually' is barely utilized compared to another technique described, though.
'Unfinished words' are a more diverse set of weasel words. The Pall Mall slogan "A longer, finer and milder smoke" is a perfect example of this - longer than what? Finer than what? Milder than what? We have no idea. Advertisers just use these words to make it seem like the products they're selling are better than the competition. Phil Swift's products are no different. The most glaring example of this is 'triple thick'. How is something 'single thick' or 'double thick'? Is there a Flex Tape thickness scale that we don't know about or something? Additionally, Phil Swift also believes that his Tape is 'super-strong' with a 'super strong watertight seal'. How strong? What makes something super strong compared to just normal strong? We don't know. Flex Tape could be just as strong as any other tape - none of this is specified. And that's not all. Words like 'perfect' and 'powerful' are just empty claims. Why is Flex Tape perfect? Why is it so powerful? Specify, Phil Swift!
Although my utilization of a meme may be a little silly, it shows that advertisements can use very specific, short words in order to persuade audiences. Words like 'virtually' and 'triple thick' are so minimal, so easy-to-skip. However, these words, like empty packages or weasel-sucked eggs, are all fluff - they prove that these products are just too good to be true most of the time.
Also, during my analysis of the Flex Tape commercial, I realized something that connects Be All That You Can Be with the whole 'weasel words' shebang. Be All That You Can Be suggests that popular mascots such as Ronald McDonald and Betty Crocker, like many famous slogans, are their own companies. Phil Swift is now so famous, such a meme, that he really is Flex Seal and Flex Tape. Nobody would care about those products if Phil Swift wasn't endorsing them. Phil Swift is his own product. Although he wrongly convinces people that his products are genuine by using 'weasel words', Phil Swift has made himself synonymous with the Flex Seal brand! To sum it up, this past week I learned specifically how advertisers have utilized quirky characters and sly language choices in modern American society in order to both attract and fool audiences.
"Hi, Phil Swift here with Flex Tape! The super-strong waterproof tape! That can instantly patch, bond, seal, and repair! Flex tape is no ordinary tape; its triple thick adhesive virtuallywelds itself to the surface, instantly stopping the toughest leaks. Leaky pipes can cause major damage, but Flex Tape grips on tight and bonds instantly! Plus, Flex Tape’s powerful adhesive is so strong, it even works underwater! Now you can repair leaks in pools and spas in water without draining them! Flex Tape is perfect for marine campers and RVs! Flex Tape issuper strong, and once it's on, it holds on tight! And for emergency auto repair, Flex Tape keeps its grip, even in the toughest conditions! Big storms can cause big damage, but Flex Tape comes super wide, so you can easily patch large holes. To show the power of Flex Tape, I sawed this boat in half! And repaired it with only Flex Tape! Not only does Flex Tape’spowerful adhesive hold the boat together, but it creates a super strong watertight seal, so the inside is completely dry! Yee-doggy! Just cut, peel, stick and seal! Imagine everything you can do with the power of Flex Tape!"
Although 'help', 'can be', and a couple of the other biggies are nowhere to be found, there are some big no-nos here. The #1 word here is 'virtually'. 'Virtually' was one of the top weasel words in Lutz's original article, and it makes a pretty big difference here. While Phil Swift's incredible product may 'virtually' weld itself to the surface, what our favorite multi-adhesive product spokesman is really saying here is that Flex Tape doesn't actually weld itself to the surface of anything. I looked at another one of Phil Swift's commercials and this whole 'virtually' scheme seems like a very common theme: "Just a quick shot and Flex Seal Clear fills in cracks and holes while remaining virtually invisible." It ain't invisible. Good job, Phil. But, in all seriousness, using the word 'virtually' is a really sneaky way of attracting people to your not-as-good-as-it-seems product. 'Virtually' is barely utilized compared to another technique described, though.
'Unfinished words' are a more diverse set of weasel words. The Pall Mall slogan "A longer, finer and milder smoke" is a perfect example of this - longer than what? Finer than what? Milder than what? We have no idea. Advertisers just use these words to make it seem like the products they're selling are better than the competition. Phil Swift's products are no different. The most glaring example of this is 'triple thick'. How is something 'single thick' or 'double thick'? Is there a Flex Tape thickness scale that we don't know about or something? Additionally, Phil Swift also believes that his Tape is 'super-strong' with a 'super strong watertight seal'. How strong? What makes something super strong compared to just normal strong? We don't know. Flex Tape could be just as strong as any other tape - none of this is specified. And that's not all. Words like 'perfect' and 'powerful' are just empty claims. Why is Flex Tape perfect? Why is it so powerful? Specify, Phil Swift!
Although my utilization of a meme may be a little silly, it shows that advertisements can use very specific, short words in order to persuade audiences. Words like 'virtually' and 'triple thick' are so minimal, so easy-to-skip. However, these words, like empty packages or weasel-sucked eggs, are all fluff - they prove that these products are just too good to be true most of the time.
Also, during my analysis of the Flex Tape commercial, I realized something that connects Be All That You Can Be with the whole 'weasel words' shebang. Be All That You Can Be suggests that popular mascots such as Ronald McDonald and Betty Crocker, like many famous slogans, are their own companies. Phil Swift is now so famous, such a meme, that he really is Flex Seal and Flex Tape. Nobody would care about those products if Phil Swift wasn't endorsing them. Phil Swift is his own product. Although he wrongly convinces people that his products are genuine by using 'weasel words', Phil Swift has made himself synonymous with the Flex Seal brand! To sum it up, this past week I learned specifically how advertisers have utilized quirky characters and sly language choices in modern American society in order to both attract and fool audiences.
"You've created a lot of damage with those weasel words, Phil"
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