Can you figure this out??!!
Quackery / Health Fraud Lesson –
Consumer Health Unit
TSWBAT to analyze an advertisement selling a consumer
health product by examining appeals in the ad.
TSWBAT differentiate between different advertising appeals
by taking notes and examining advertisement examples.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH7_VAMMuog
Quackery vs. Health Fraud
 Quackery = Doctor or advertisement that makes false
claims
 Health Fraud = Advertising, promotion, and sales of
products and services that have not been
scientifically proven safe and effective
How it works
 Plays on human emotion
 Weakness and Fear
Why protect yourself from quackery?
 Do not want to waste money on products or services
that do not do what they claimed
 Do not want to use harmful products
 You don’t want to delay valuable medical treatment
How to uncover health fraud
 Is there a promise of a cure for a condition, which
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currently has no cure
Quick/Painless Results
Does it claim to work by some “secret formula?”
Sold by phone, door to door, mail order, e-mail, text
messages, facebook, twitter, pinterest….
Promoted by little-known person or group
Serviced through infomercials
TESTIMONIALS
Popular Types of Fraud Products
 Beauty Aids
 Play on peoples fear of getting old, fat, and promise youth,
beauty and sex appeal forever

Wrinkles, Baldness, Weight Loss
Diet Aids
 Appeals to our need to feel trim and energetic
Food
 Represents the most lucrative areas of quackery.
 “Whole Grain”
Fraudulent Devices
 Devices that are promoted to cure ailments
Logos / Slogans / Jingles
Who protects us from health
frauds?
1. FDA – FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Part of the HHS / will recall food, medicine, etc. that prove harmful
2. BBB – BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
•
Handles complaints about local merchants
3. CONSUMER ADVOCATES
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People or groups whose sole purpose is to take on regional, national and
even international consumer issues.
•
Examples = “Consumer Reports” Magazine; professional health
organizations; Yelp
•
How are we advertised to…..
5 Factors That Influence YOUR Decisions
1. Price: brand names cost more, usually
2.
3.
4.
5.
well advertised.
Convenience: Pay more for
convenience. When we are in a hurry
to save time we buy
Family/Friends
Quality
ADVERTISING
Top 10 Advertising Appeals
1 - Brand Loyalty: Convince person that one brand is
better then another
2 - False Image Appeal: Implies that certain image
will go with certain product
3 - Bandwagon Appeal: Implies everyone else is
using particular product
4 - Humor Appeal: Contains catchy slogan that gets
your attention
5 - Glittering Generality: Has claim that is
exaggerated to appeal to an emotion
Top 10 Advertising Appeals
6 - Scientific Evidence: Includes results of surveys
and lab results
7 - Progress Appeal: Emphasizes that a product is
new and improved
8 - Reward Appeal: Offers special prize or gift
9 - Sex Appeal: A product that hints it will make a
person sexy or attractive
10 - Testimonial: Technique uses a spokesperson to
promote the product
Commercials
 Do you think you can pick out some advertising
appeals in these commercials?!
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1 = Hawaii Chair - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_amg-Aos4
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2 = Medifast - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij7z9QTc4PI
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3 = Axe - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgxxAwue7Fs
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4 = ESPN Sportscenter =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqL2hFMY3LQ