TARES test: taxonomy and applications

Media

TARES Test

In the world of advertising, professional persuasion is a means to an immediate and active end such as increased sales or improved corporate image. Ethical persuasion must rest on or serve a deeper, ethically-based final end. In the midst of the moral final ends of journalism are truth and freedom. There is a very real risk that advertisers and public relations practitioners will play a more and more dysfunctional role in the communications practice if means continue to be confused with ends in professional influential communications. Means and ends will go on to be confused unless advertisers and public relations practitioners reach some level of agreement as to the moral end toward which their efforts should be directed. The TARES Test consists of five principles: Truthfulness (of the message), Authenticity (of the persuader), Respect (for the persuadee), Equity (of the persuasive appeal) and Social Responsibility (for the common good) (Baker and Martinson, 2001).

When applying the TARES test to an ad for the Shape Patch which is a weight loss patch it is easy to see how there is a real danger present in advertising communications. This ad claims that the Bladderwrack, Shape-PATCH's natural active ingredient, has been used as a remedy for obesity for more than 100 years. This sea plant was used by ancient cultures as a remedy for obesity long before its approval and inclusion in publications such as the Homeopathic Review (since 1863) and the Allen's Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica (since 1880), along with other relevant publications. It is thought that it may have been utilized for weight loss as early as in the 17th century (Shape Patch, 2004).

The special intended audience for this ad is anybody who is overweight and wants to lose weight and keep it off forever. The ad claims that in reality almost anyone can lose weight by dieting, patches, using pill or exercising. The problem, and what at the end is most important, is to keep that weight off. This is a truthful statement. It is very possible for most people to lose weight, but keeping it off is the trick. The next claim that the ad makes is not so truthful though. It claims that the Shape-PATCH is the only product ever to prove that the weight one loses now will be kept off throughout the years to come. They claim that this happens because one gets used to eating less and therefore they will feel satisfied with less food and less food means fewer calories and fewer calories means that they will not regain the weight. They say that this makes Shape-PATCH completely different from anything else, especially from the frustrating yo-yo effect of other weight loss programs. It also explains why Shape-PATCH has been around for more than 12 years in 40 countries helping thousands of people of all ages to lose weight and keep it off (Shape Patch, 2004).

This claim appears to be a bit unethical because they have no way of really proving that their patches will a person will never regain the weight that they have lost. They provide no scientific evidence that any of their claims are really true. They guarantee that this product works and claim that the results are permanent. The ad also says that it is America's #1 weight loss patch. Says who? Just them. There does not appear to be any proof that backs up any of the claims that they make in regards to this product.

Advertising is an essential part of marketing. The intention of an ad campaign is to reach a lot in order to increase the demand for the products being endorsed. In this campaign the advertisers used Highlighting Features. The features of the product should be clearly stated. An advertisement campaign that talks on and on about a product without affirming its features will fail to do any good. A high-quality weight loss product campaign should start by discussing about that the weight loss product has been designed to help people lose weight fast, or lose weight safely or lose weight without regaining the lost weight. People who are troubled about losing weight may view the advertisement, but every person has their own preferred way of losing weight. Some may not mind the consequences, while others may be health conscious. Thus, an ad that does not talk about the features or the working of the product will not get a good reaction. Since weight loss is often a very sensitive issue, an ad agency should make sure that creative advertising is done in good taste (Advertisement Techniques: Creative Advertising Techniques and Tricks, 2010).

This advertisement was a good example of the use of highlighting features. It did an overall good job of highlighting the fact that this product could help someone to lose weight and keep it off permanently. It stated all of the features that they felt made this product the product of choice, with the main feature being the ability to lose weight without regaining it. The advertisement was presented in a way that would make people read it from beginning to end.