What If Advertising Was Honest? | Sylvester Chauke | TED

Meh. The idea is great, but the "honest ads examples" were a bit 'meh'

This talk is extremely naïve.

This has to be the weakest TED talk I have ever seen.

Advertising that manipulates emotions instead of informing about a product is profoundly unethical and immoral, but it’s the accepted norm.

It promises more utility from a product or service in order to make us willing to spend more, and results only in disappointment.

It’s propaganda.

Watch the movie Crazy People. Humorous take on this very subject.

"Volvo - we're boxy, but we're safe!"

Also need to address product quality. Many things are designed to fail very quickly, making all of this even worse.

Ad and media people in general should be ashamed for contributing to the toxic beauty standards, pushy ads, false journalism, etc..

I've noticed that the things we really want and need as consumers never needs a single advertisement. So advertising is only for stuff we don't need, but the job is only to make us want it. I don't buy dish soap because an ad told me to. I remember enjoying the BMW films though. Didn't make me want a BMW, just a great show! We already know what a car is, it's not selling anything to anyone. But that campaign got all the views, and all the awards. Advertising doesn't work, anyway. If I want jewels, I'm not going to Kay's because it starts every kiss. How absurd would that be? I'll go because it's right there! We need ads that tell us something we don't already know, or make our lives better. Companies waste their time and money on advertisement. Like I will never like bud light, never have. No amount of superbowl billions will change that, even though they arguably had the best ad campaign in history. Like, wow, home depot has tools? I didn't know! Yeah right.

I remember watching a video of how really nice boots are made and if I want boots, now I know where to go. But if I'm hungry, the doritoes ad has zero impact. Modern advertising is useless.

SOS Gaza children and babies died no food no water many poeple die.poeple of USA stop this War please

👐👏👐👏👐

Eventone we don't need a break

Thank You for giving voice to what should be an obvious issue.

Well I think the reason we tend towards encouraging consumption is that it allows growth for individuals. Growth is this critical force in our psyches which motivates and satisfies us, and ties in with a bunch of signaling that is really important for us. The roots are so deep that it seems kind of impossible to think of an alternative to this. It is good to encourage more conscious consuming, but other companies are still going to grow without those principles, and governments won't be able to justify restricting market practice when it massively impacts people's abilities to create economic gain, especially if GDP growth is slowing or stalling and other nations continuing to expand and gain influence.

Let's do that ! ❤

Advertising/Marketing people in general : First let me make enough money for 10 years, then I will try to work on undoing atleast 1% of the damage I have done .

The "free thinking" people that constantly buy into corporate marketing. Ah the irony.

quite hilarious to advertise for a burger and green wash it by "recomending" a plant based one

why not telling the ppl to safe their money and safe the environment by buying fresh vegetables and preparing it oneself ....

They want to SELL (otherwise their clients wouldn't pay them) and do it with fads/contemporary themes such as veganism or minimalism ... and then really believe that they are honest? Hypocrites. Really honest "advertising" would say: do NOT buy a burger even if ut is vegan because it is ultra processed food and not good for you or the environment.

Great

It doesn't show much intelligence if you buy something based on advertising instead of detailed product information.

impossible. not even going to watch this

Honestly, I don’t like eco friendly commercial, but this initiative looks perfect. Many company just pretending to be nice to earth.

Sorry to burst your dream bubble, but cigarette ads are alive and well in Indonesia and convincing millions of kids to smoke. It just happens to be the last country where it is legal. These include well known american companies by the way. Honesty and profit seeking just don't go together. People need to figure this out while we still have a semblance of democracy left.

The main point: seduces consumers into debt

Uhmm. The goal of the honesty squad he described is really paradoxical when placed side by side with ultimate goal of the advertising industry.

There are opportunities for reduction in excess consumerism, still; it will just be a gradual process of change, I believe.

It should be emphasized though that the burden shouldn’t fall on the “creatives” who make the ads. Ultimately, it’s a board room of businessmen and women that pull the trigger on what campaigns get run or not. Those mock ads from the honesty squad may be wonderful but no company will ever run them because alas, the sole purpose of enterprise under a market driven capitalist economy is to grow and increase capital. That is where the paradigm shift should happen, the marketing and PR industry aren’t the ones to blame, they’re just a tool for corporate greed and their agency is very much limited to what they’re hired for. Keep in mind always who’s the one calling the shots.

What if PEOPLE were honest?

It's literally illegal to advertise honestly

They convince you doing isn't fun or full filling or that you can't achieve, they convince to not be confident enough they convince you if you're not better than know one will love you, it's not only advertising it's the movies it's stardom it's pop music, they take your own consciousness and possess you with their products, you become possessed and then your nothing but zombies or vampires, they turn you into bullies and fill your hearts with hate , everyone is in competition and you neglect your families and communities , you only need your self and families and communities and to build and grow and love , these are your bargaining powers against control from the rich and powerful, nature is fun and exciting and gives you comfort , if it's a healthy ecosystem all your needs are full filled, this is how economic enslavement ends and your freedoms won

This is a powerful message. Honest and creative!

🎉🎉❤❤

No what the actual problem is you advertisers are collecting too much data. How about rather than lining your pockets you give back our privacy?? Then we have way less targeted ads.

insightfull! well done Sylv

It's a cycle that destroys itself. People buy less -> Companies earn less -> Less money for marketing and advertising to make people buy less.

I think this works if the goal of the Honesty Squad is to shift perception on Environmentally and Socially friendly products that already promote a less comsumerist culture. But most especially it has to persuade the middle class and lower income folk that these products are worth the bargain and that their often steep price tag is worth it in the longrun. The honest part being that they actually are. Lol

Climate change and consumerism did not cause South Africa power crises. The ANC did, its well document since its inception. Even before 2007

Being poor helps a lot with being ‘green’ everything gets repurposed. I grew up in South Africa as an African although not living in abject poverty I was not rich by any stretch. Some on the reuse lessons have served me well even to this day. My kids think I’m being a cheapskate and it just how we were raised you use something until it had no more use. There are too many single use products in the world we must do better

Wooo

I totally agree with the premise that we need to consume less. But as an advertising industry, its very existence relies on profiting from consumerism. If people buy less, there's less to advertise and less fees paid to agencies. Market forces will ultimately decide what people buy rather than advertising.

Beautiful beautiful beautiful. Well done Sylvester!

Let us stop being hypocritical! How do we behave and what do we say on a first date? When you you go out, how do you dress, how do you behave? Would you say in a job interview you are pretty la6, Zoe silly on Mondays? Why do we wear a suit, a tight shirt inside a tight jean with uncomfortable hard shoes in the middle of summer. We are all the time sselling ourselves. Doesn’t matter where or to whom, you want and do wear shorts and flip-flops. We’re always selling ourselves…

Sylvester Chauke's argument is ideal, but in reality, I think the advertising industry puts corporate interests first, and integrity alone cannot make a strong impression on consumers. Also, creativity and innovation can be reduced if all advertisements take into account the environmental impact. The essence of advertising is to promote consumption, and to exclude it completely ignores the fundamental role of the industry.

Through the lecture, I was able to look back on my consumption habits. I think it's good to tell the truth about the product and help you consume it wisely. I think that more of these advertisements allow people to make better choices, reduce consumption, and protect the environment.

I have literally hundreds of items of trash picks inside my condo right now that I keep. And thousands more items that I did not keep, but gave away to friends and family, but mostly to the Goodwill. And these items are practically all from one large apartment complex, found over the last 8 to 10 years. These items include dozens of vacuum cleaners, TVs, floor lamps, table lamps, microwaves, space heaters, oscillating fans, and even two salvageable inflatable beds among the appliances. Non-salvageable electronics I take to the Goodwill as e-waste. But also a multitude of rolling office chairs, shoes, cookware, clothes (some with store tags still on them), etc..

i wish this video impacts billions of people as it impacted us.

Yes bc machines are taking all of our work , now everyone is just trying to make it even recycling ♻️ hasn’t changed the 5cent + etc and the usa started recycling in the 60s I think 💭 small businesses are key