To believe or not to believe

Imagine that your much-despised weeklong high fever situation has finally settled, but you continue to take meds. Your body certainly wouldn’t like it; instead, there’s more harm than good to be done. Same goes for most of the products that we consume every day.

Now, advertisements play a crucial role in helping us decide which product to use. And, yet, examples of commercials misleading people into buying things that they have no use for (or should avoid), are rife. For instance, a specific health drink, a common medicine or even hair oil may not suit one’s body. Still, people take advertisements so seriously that they forget about consulting an expert.

These days, green tea is quite the fad. While brands advertise health benefits, it may be unsafe if consumed in large quantities over a long period of time. Nervousness, sleep problems, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, heartburn, dizziness, convulsions, and confusion — these are just some of the problems that can afflict one as a consequence.

Avni Kaul, nutritionist, wellness coach and certified diabetic educator, comments on the trend, saying, “Advertisements are not prepared by scientific research and development departments of pharmaceutical or weight supplement companies. These are developed and strategised by the marketing departments and by professional advertising agencies. Hence, their primary focus is sales numbers.”

She also gives an example —  “When an advertisement states that flour is multigrain, we must read the label carefully. Most of them would be 90 per cent whole-wheat and only 10 per cent would consist of other millets like ragi, bajra, etc.”

Another example on is of sweat-slimming belts. The TVCs advertising these, complete with before-and-after shots, are quite appealing.

They portraying these wonder-belts as a quick fix to belly-fat troubles. But if these worked, why would anyone go to the gym or visit the dietician? Turns out, they are of no use unless accompanied by a balanced lifestyle.

Adding to this, Dr Dhananjay Gupta, an orthopaedist and a senior member of the Indian Orthopaedic Association, shares, “A lie that is said 10-15 times becomes a truth. However, our body doesn’t work that way. If you over-consume calcium, it is only going to go to waste. The advertisements are useful for only those whose body needs the nutrient. If your kid’s growth is normal, why would he or she need extra nutrients to boost natural growth?”

This brings us to the question of whether advertisements generalise everything. Avni comments, “Advertisements generalise health issues and trigger the emotions of viewers to believe that the difference between their problem and a complete cure is the company's product. If you have a cough, take this cough syrup and next moment get cured. Or, if you are underweight, take this supplement and weight gain is immediate, easy and you will end up having girlfriends — so on and so forth.”

In reality, she continues, the human body is a complex machine. Health issues vary from person to person and, in most cases, a generalised treatment can lead to complex health problems. For instance, fairness creams are often advertised to girls with brown skin tones. Apart from the damage to the skin cause by the harsh chemicals present in these creams, the emotional turmoil and, eventually, the trauma one has to go through once the creams fail to provide expected result can severely affect a person’s self-esteem.

However, Sukamal Karmakar, an avid shopper, feels, “Now, it is totally up to a person on how he or she is going to perceive the whole thing. I have several times seen the advertisements of Strepsils, Honitus or Saridon, but never thought of consuming them without consulting a doctor.”“Also”, he continues, “At the time of emergencies, the knowledge of certain products through advertisement saves the day. For example, you’re on a trip and suddenly feel that mosquitos are a danger to you. If the advertisement of Odomos is there in the back of your head, it is a big help to you. Hain ki nahi (Isn’t it the case)?”

Kaul continues, “Youngsters must understand that every human biomass composition is different and people may be underweight because of reasons such as hormonal and protein deficiency. Thus, taking weight gainers containing ingredients that most people are unaware of can damage the body and, in the long run, may result in liver failure, kidney stone, reduction in bone strength or inappropriate muscle growth. In the future, there can be an adverse impact on the next generation too."

According to Nithika Aroraa, an expert make-up artist and hairstylist, make-up and beauty products rule the world of women today. Hence, companies are at a position to take advantage of ignorant consumers. Make-up products are supposed to be used with critical care and strict regimes. If we take into consideration the very basic foundation, it is blindly used without following the essential steps of CTM (cleansing, toning, moisturising). Most of the times, products are applied without preparing the skin. Above all, without professional consultation, people end up using duplicate products. Blindly trusting the ads, they use any products that might not even be suitable for their skin type.

She concludes, “In this modern world of illusions, advertisements have become a sham to conceal the reality. Be it youth or children, they are vulnerable to advertising because they lack the experience and knowledge to understand critically the purpose of persuasive advertising.”