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That is a bit like saying "does a bad product review stop people from doing business with China". We all know there are false ads, badly written ads, stupid ads, crass ads, rude ads you name it, we've done it. But there are also many more true ads, well written ads, clever ads, subtle ads, polite ads again, you name it, we've done it.
And the practice of advertising is not going away. Maslow's hierarchy of needs tells us this.

Here's the good news: Consumers are really quite clever and very discerning people, whose own research and brains help us differentiate and decide in only a few seconds if an ad is false, moronic, and unbelievable. And consumers do actually decide against a whole company based on a false ad. Then, many consumers act upon their decisions and bring down products and sometimes whole companies who falsify claims witness the many class action suits.
And we're backed up by advertising standards boards plus any number of consumer advocates organizations, not to mention the good ol' common law all of which are delighted to jump into the fray and rip apart any low-life organization that tries to falsify a product or service.
So why become jaded with all this wonderful armory at one's disposal? Indeed, why not become confident that one's own intelligence, together with the supporting bodies mentioned above, can decide and act with confidence if you feel it is a false ad?
When you add to this (pun intended) the frighteningly fast negative reaction a group of consumers can have on a product, which can bury that product and the company, the notion of jaded becomes more a notion of empowerment. Empowerment that the world has never seen or experienced before.
If you accept the premise that the consumer is intelligent, can decide for him/herself, AND can act vigorously and powerfully, then you have to reject the notion that false ads lead to becoming jaded. To use and extend an old phrase, Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) is being replaced by Caveat Advertisor Falsor beware false advertiser, you do so at your peril.
Finally, I respectfully put to you the alternative argument that if you are feeling jaded from false ads it is because you are not using your intelligence, powers of decision, and right to action and so, shame on you. Caveat Brain-um Mush-um.

Learn more about this author, Chris Leach.
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