Advertising Claims

I guess I'm a sucker for advertising claims. The latest product I've fallen for is Cranergy. It has green tea extract and vitamins and claims to give you more energy. I like the raspberry flavor, which has only 50 calories and is sweetened with Splenda. It probably contains caffeine, but I'm not sure. I feel like I have more energy after I drink it. I wonder how much of it is placebo effect? If you click on the name, it will take you to their website, where you can download a coupon for a dollar off so you can try it for yourself and let me know if it gives you more energy.

I remember back when I was about 6, I got a pair of PF Flyers sneakers. They claimed to "make you run faster and jump higher." This appealed to me very much, since I was short and slow. (When I was around 10 the neighbor kids gave me the sarcastic nickname of "Thunderbolt" because I was so slow at running the bases in kickball. I knew they were making fun of me, but I sort of liked the nickname because it sounded a lot cooler than some of the other nicknames kids could give you.) I was really convinced that the sneakers made me run faster and jump higher. Check out this YouTube video of one of their commercials from the 50s. It is pretty hilarious. I sort of miss the good old days of wild unsubstantiated advertising claims, don't you?

I think our parents were right about the warnings that tv would rot our brains. Although I often forget my own cell phone number, I can still remember advertising jingles from the 50s. This one still rattles around my brain, "Look both ways when you cross the street so you'll be around to live and eat Waleeco, Waleeco, coconut bars are the best I know!"

They still make PF Flyers. I did not know that. I wonder if they can still make me run faster and jump higher?