Is your supplement brand a marketing company that sells supplements or a supplement company focused on science, data, and results? The supplement industry is full of confusing and misleading marketing claims that you, the consumer, are affected and influenced by. Most confusing marketing ploys involve buzzwords to catch your eye to enhance “credibility,” where the goal is getting you to purchase products. But what do those buzzwords really mean?
Lets examine “Clinically Studied.” This buzzword implies that a supplement or supplement brand’s products are safe and effective because they have been studied in a clinical setting. Take this 2013 commercial by Centrum. Can you point out how this is deceptive?
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYTqAOFD-cY[/embed]
A supplement being “studied” has nothing to do with how effective it is. The results of the study are what matter. If a supplement is clinically studied, but the results show that it does not provide health benefits, then what good is it for your health? This is a prime example of how slick marketing can create an impression that leads consumers to believe that “clinically studied” equals safe, effective, and worth purchasing. It’s flat out deceptive in this case.
Unfortunately for consumers, Centrum has one of the largest marketing budgets in the industry. In the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements (http://amzn.to/24JfCbt), which compares over 1500 products against real clinical data, Centrum Silver ranks 0.5 out of 5 stars (where 0 is the worst and 5 is the best). This should infuriate you (it infuriates us), especially given the broad health benefits that supplements with the right breadth, levels, and forms of ingredients provide.
Very few supplement companies are willing to invest in clinically proven ingredients and real research that can back their products. Instead, they will spend money on marketing and stamp misleading buzzwords on their bottles to influence consumer purchases.
When we shout that the supplement industry preys on consumers, this is what we mean!
