6-1 Discussion-False Advertising

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Southern New Hampshire University *

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111

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Marketing

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Apr 28, 2024

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docx

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2

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Describe a possible scenario or a scenario that you have read or heard of that you believe is an example of astroturfing. Describe what element is unique to your scenario to make it astroturfing. Astroturfing is a dishonest activity in which groups or individuals fabricate an image of broad grassroots endorsement for a specific cause, policy, or candidate. This is usually done to create the impression that there is strong public support when there may actually be little to none in order to sway public opinion or policy decisions. There was a push in my city of Florida by locals who wanted to restrict single- use plastics because they claimed they damaged the beach ecosystem. They conducted educational seminars at nearby schools and churches, planned beach clean-ups, and managed social media initiatives with particular goals to spread the word about the harm that plastic waste causes to the local ecology and marine life. The project quickly sparked community enthusiasm, inspiring many privately owned restaurants and coffee shops to adopt environmentally friendly methods. They gradually replaced plastic utensils and straws with more environmentally friendly paper ones. However, it turns out that a local family that formed a shop advertising paper goods and low-waste alternatives was connected to some of the top promoters of the plastic reduction movement, positioning them to gain from the move away from plastic products. The activists were purposefully deceiving the public into thinking that their campaign was a grassroots initiative when, in reality, it was a calculated strategy to further their own commercial objectives. The deceit involved in concealing the activists' true motivation which was profiting from the increased demand for paper items they helped create, rather than only environmental concerns, is what makes this instance of astroturfing distinctive. Then give an example of false advertising, explaining how it is different from astroturfing. I have firsthand experience with deceptive advertising when a fast-food chain uses it to promote vegan goods, in this case plant-based burgers. A fast-food chain markets its vegan burger as being entirely plant based, highlighting its vegan ingredients. This burger may seem ideal for vegans, however, if the company neglects to mention that the vegan burger is
prepared on the same grill as ordinary beef burgers, there could be cross contamination with animal ingredients. Because of this cross-contamination, the burger would not be considered vegan by those who abstain from animal products for moral, health, or environmental reasons. The burger is presented as vegan-friendly in the advertisement, yet this crucial information is left out, making it misleading. Unaware that the entire preparation process goes against their principles, consumers may feel they are making a decision that is in line with their values. Its deceptive advertising is characterized by this lack of transparency. In the absence of this information, the marketing misrepresents the product and could potentially mislead consumers who follow veganism or have dietary restrictions pertaining to animal products. While astroturfing exaggerates the degree of public support for a good, service, or cause. In contrast to astroturfing, which aims to influence public opinion, false advertising focuses on the consumer's conception of the product.
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