Writers Buffington and Hassoun, in an opinion piece titled https://www.ogilvy.com/ideas/brands-lies-post-truth-era

write, "Truth no longer matters because the new objective is not to convince the receiver of the message rationally, but to flatter his instincts and strengthen his perceptions."

Please read the commentary, found on advertising agency Ogilvy's website.

This is not meant to be a political discussion but more focused on the way you feel about how we should or do value truth, whether it is in advertising or in the general media that we consume each day.

My Response the question below (Could you add one substantive response to my response below?)

 

I think that truth is the most valuable aspect of any form of media, including advertising. However, many brands are choosing to withhold the truth by appealing to the customer's emotions and personal opinions. As Buffington and Hassoun stated, the new objective in the media is to flatter the customer and strengthen their perceptions. They are willing to lie about certain aspects of their brand because they want to make the customer feel an emotional connection. However, they are building an emotional foundation on lies that will crumble in the future. If the brand includes statistics that are false, the customer will feel betrayed because the product did not work for them. They might feel their is something wrong with them and they will continue to buy from the brand hoping for a different result. The media is interfering on an emotional level with the viewer that is harmful for everyone involved. Brands should simply advertise the facts surrounding their brand without manipulating them. I think companies hold a higher importance compared to politics. This is because companies can be partially controlled by the people. If a certain company betrays the people, they will no longer purchase their products and spread the news of their lies or manipulation. Lying to the consumer has detrimental outcomes due to the technological age that we live in. Truth should be valued in all aspects of life, but specifically advertising because we are consuming the products and we could be aware of their honest benefit.