The 5-hour Energy "doctor study"

[kranky]

They are running a commercial that talks about their survey of 3,000 doctors and talks about what 73% of the doctors recommended while the spokesperson holds a bottle of 5-hour energy.

When you listen carefully to what 73% of the doctors recommended, it was this: "over 73% said they would recommend a low calorie energy supplement to their healthy patients who use energy supplements." Then it says you should ask YOUR doctor, since they already asked 3,000 doctors.

To me, that recommendation says in other words, "If you are going to use an energy supplement anyway, might as well use a low-calorie one."

How that could be interpreted as a ringing endorsement of this specific product escapes me.

 

[Matthiasa]

If you read the fine print it was that ~70% would recommend a calorie energy drink.
Of those ~40% would recommend 5 hour energy.

If it wasn't for the fine print they would get sued.

 

[lxskllr]

Advertisers are liars. I especially remember a commercial from years ago. I don't remember the brands involved, but the phrase was 'AntiperspirantX keeps you drier than the leading deodorant'. Ya think?! Fuckin assholes :^S

 

[sixone]

They do it because it's easy, and it works. People don't listen, and they don't read.

 

[nanette1985]

I remember from my youth - 4 out of 5 dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum. Trident gum commercials.

 

[BudAshes]

How I fix capitalism: End lying commericals, no more fine print alowed(uhh you can't read it so why is it there?) and you get your ass fined to hell if you mislead consumers, then we create a government sanctioned website that shows where every single product is made and gives you a break down of the facilities done by a 3rd party consumer group. This breakdown would include hourly wages of employees and their benefits plus a rating out of 10 of the factory working conditions and an additional rating on environmental impact. If you could instantly check these things on any product capitalism might actually turn this world into the amazing place it should be. Informed consumers are the savior of this countries economy.

 

[mmntech]

Five Hour Energy is just caffeine, sugar, water, and a few vitamins mixed in. Energy drinks aren't good for you. One bottle contains as much caffeine as two cups of coffee. You're only supposed to drink half at a time but nobody does. You shouldn't drink that much caffeine. Truth be known, the coffee is probably better for you.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Advertising is all about lying or passively lying. Just because they show a doctor on TV saying they recommend the product does not mean that a real doctor actually recommends it. This is where the whole thing "I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV" comes in. I'm sure most doctors would NOT recommend stuff like energy drinks.

It's like car commercials. It seems every car out there is the best in it's class and has won all the awards, has the best handling, goes faster than all the other cars etc...

Then there's retailers. ONLY $19.99!!! after $60 mail-in rebate, offer expires: yesterday

If there's one thing that pisses me off with false advertising is retailers that screw with the price. It should be the law to display the price that you actually have to pay. I'd even go further and say it should also include taxes. Would be nice to see an item at a store for $20 and actually pay $20 not a penny more. Of course with online retailers this is a bit harder because of shipping.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you insist on doing it, 4 out of 5 doctors recommend shooting yourself in the foot with a .22 instead of a .357...

"Doctors preferred Blammo Derringers as the healthy gun! Shoot yourself with it today!"

 

[Doppel]

These things are so fvcking stupid. Plus they are $3, who the hell is buying these?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

If "over 73% said they would recommend a low calorie energy supplement to their healthy patients who use energy supplements" is actually spoken at a comprehensible pace in the commercial, I don't see how that is misleading at all. Poor college children cramming for exams being misled. ((((((((((

 

[Craig234]

These things are so fvcking stupid. Plus they are $3, who the hell is buying these?

America is in the midst of an energy crisis. We're guzzling energy drinks and shots at record rates but feeling more lethargic than ever. Sales of these products have more than doubled in the past 5 years, with 35 percent of men ages 18 to 24 drinking them regularly, a new Mintel survey reveals.

From an MSNBC story.

When government represents the people, they help with this - research, regulation.

 

[rcpratt]

I think they're disgusting and would much rather drink coffee, but I know plenty of 20-somethngs that use them multiple times per day.

 

[DrPizza]

I've been planning on opening a car dealership and crushing the competition with
BRAND NEW, 2013 model. LEASE NOW FOR ONLY $49.99 per month, 30 month lease.

Small print:
"$9000 due at signing."

 

[HeXen]

I've been planning on opening a car dealership and crushing the competition with
BRAND NEW, 2013 model. LEASE NOW FOR ONLY $49.99 per month, 30 month lease.

Small print:
"$9000 due at signing."

change it to, $9000 due at end of lease. that way, people will sign up

 

[sixone]

How I fix capitalism: End lying commericals, no more fine print alowed(uhh you can't read it so why is it there?) and you get your ass fined to hell if you mislead consumers, then we create a government sanctioned website that shows where every single product is made and gives you a break down of the facilities done by a 3rd party consumer group. This breakdown would include hourly wages of employees and their benefits plus a rating out of 10 of the factory working conditions and an additional rating on environmental impact. If you could instantly check these things on any product capitalism might actually turn this world into the amazing place it should be. Informed consumers are the savior of this countries economy.

You could create most of that database without the government. Make it a subscription-based service, like Consumer Reports or Angie's List, and it pays for itself.

Put politicians in charge of it, and it ends up like Social Security. Do you know how long it takes to get them to update their files on anything?

 

[Rudee]

These things are so fvcking stupid. Plus they are $3, who the hell is buying these?

Red Bull has the biggest markup. Costs a nickel to manufacture a can of Red Bull, retails for over a $1 or more.

 

[Platypus]

you mean advertising isn't genuine???!!?!

 

[Zeze]

change it to, $9000 due at end of lease. that way, people will sign up

Good luck collecting that $9k while your dealership goes bankrupt from zero cash flow.

 

[Zeze]

Red Bull has the biggest markup. Costs a nickel to manufacture a can of Red Bull, retails for over a $1 or more.

Printer ink has the highest markup of any goods by weight. It's worth more than gold!

 

[Train]

13% of the time it works every time

 

[foghorn67]

"Part of this nutritious breakfast."

 

[lxskllr]

"Part of this nutritious breakfast."

Whisky and crack. It's part of this nutritious breakfast so you can start your day off on the right foot :^D

 

[BUTCH1]

POS misleading ad, " go ahead and ask your doctor, we've already asked 3000". Anyone who has hypertension or takes meds for blood pressure should stay the fuck away from 5 hour or any other "energy" drink. A good doctor would look for the underlying reasons why your so tired that you need these products..

 

[StrangerGuy]

The problem isn't with lying ads but with dumbasses believing everything they see on TV.