Re: Seen on dpreview

[Paul Stenquist]

I've worked as an advertising writer for 22 years. My job is to create 
illusions based on truth. It's about fueling desire and presenting a 
product in the best possible light. As you say, there are regulations, 
many very strict regulations, that limit how far one can go. But the 
most skilled advertising creatives learn to work right at the limit. 
Survival in this business depends on that.  My job is not about 
providing perfect knowledge. That job falls to the press and to 
consumer organizations (like the PDML for example) that analyze and 
discuss the available merchandise. The Pentax positioning as the camera 
of the internet is a good example of working at the limit. I don't 
think it's been utilized very well in any advertising executions. But 
it's a good advertising claim, and it should prove effective at a 
subliminal level.
On Aug 31, 2004, at 3:58 AM, John Forbes wrote:

An odd view, if you don't mind me saying so.  A properly-functioning 
market economy requires lots of buyers, lots of sellers, and "perfect 
knowledge" so that buyers can make informed decisions.  All of which 
should lead to low prices.  Of course that is why the market is full 
of people trying to subvert these market mechanisms, typically by 
establishing monopolies (only one seller), or by misleading buyers so 
that they make uninformed decisions.

It is to counteract these efforts that all sophisticated market 
economies (including the US) have found it necessary to have loads of 
regulations.  Without them, things would be far worse than they are.  
Truth in advertising is perhaps an impossible goal, but it is one that 
we should surely strive for.

John
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 14:02:26 -0400, Paul Stenquist 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Advertising is the art of knowing what you can get away with it. It 
has nothing to do with truth. I happen to think that's a good thing.

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