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0Erinome: Hello everyone! Welcome to our daily news chat. I'm Erinome.
Enceladus: And I'm Enceladus. Today, let's talk about some ads that make people really annoyed. Have you noticed businesses playing word games lately?
Erinome: Oh yes! They use big, eye-catching words to get you interested, then tiny little words to avoid taking responsibility. It’s so tricky.
Enceladus: Right! Like those ads that say “Download App get big red envelope!” but next to it, there’s super small text: “Only new users or subject to actual circumstances”. So not everyone gets the red envelope.
Erinome: Exactly! Or “All items 50% off” – the “50%” is huge and bold, but there’s a tiny “起 (qi)” after it. “Qi” means “starting from”, so most things might not even be 50% off.
Enceladus: Sad, right? These businesses think it’s just “exaggeration” in ads, but it’s actually a “word trap” that hurts a lot.
Erinome: Media even gave this trick a name: “Three Boasts”. Want to hear?
Enceladus: Sure! What’s the first “boast”?
Erinome: Boasting about effects. Like a phone brand’s poster: big words shout “逆光之王 (Ni Guang Zhi Wang)” – “King of Backlight”. But in a corner, tiny words say: “‘King of Backlight’ is just the product design goal”. They’re using a goal as a real feature!
Enceladus: Wow, that’s brave. How can they do that?
Erinome: Second, boasting about sales. A clothing brand says “2022-2024, top global sales for 3 years in a row”. But tiny words note: “Data from August 2023 survey”. Wait, 2024 data from 2023? That’s like predicting the future!
Enceladus: Oh no, that’s not right. And another car ad: “Global sales champion!” but small words say “All content is for reference, check delivery agreement for real info”. Then why call it a “champion” at all?
Erinome: Third, boasting about discounts. Like the app example, or supermarkets with “Low to 50% off” – the “50%” is super big, but “starting from” is tiny. They want customers but don’t want to really give discounts.
Enceladus: So what harm does this cause?
Erinome: First, it hurts consumer rights. People see the big words and get tricked into buying. If a business plays these small tricks, you have to wonder: will they care about product quality? Their stuff might not be trustworthy.
Enceladus: True. Second, it hurts the business’s own reputation. Those tiny words are usually as small as mosquito legs, same color as the background, hidden. So people can’t see them. Using big ads and tiny disclaimers is just trying to make false ads look legal.
Erinome: Third, it causes fights. When consumers find they were tricked and try to complain, businesses use those tiny words to say “we told you!”, so arguments start and consumers can’t get their rights back easily.
Enceladus: And this is getting worse! More and more businesses, online and offline, are doing this. It’s really worrying.
Erinome: For consumers, after being tricked, they lose trust. So they might be scared to spend. For businesses, making quick money with word games will ruin their reputation. If people talk about it online, their long-built good name could break in a second!
Enceladus: And for the industry? Honest businesses will lose. It’s like “bad money drives out good money” – the honest ones can’t compete with the tricky ones.
Erinome: What consumers really want is less of these tricks, more good quality and nice service.
Enceladus: Right! And those tiny words aren’t a “shield” for businesses. The Advertising Law says ads must be real and clear, not misleading. Courts check what a normal person would notice. Those hidden tiny words that lie? They’re proof of false advertising!
Erinome: So how to fix this? Need everyone to work together. The government should set rules: important info like product quality, price, discounts must be clear – big enough, different color, easy to see.
Enceladus: And check strictly! Punish the rule-breakers hard, especially in cars, finance, food.
Erinome: At the end of the day, business is about honesty. Ads need to be real. Businesses should focus on good products and service, not word games.
Enceladus: Let’s hope the market gets better soon, so we can all shop with confidence!
Erinome: Okay, that's it for today. Thanks for listening!
Enceladus: See you next time!
