Ethics Question In Sales Letters...

[Rachel Rofe]

Curious to know what your opinion is on this...

If someone writes a sales letter and makes the main character
someone who doesn't really exist...

("I used to have "X" problem, and it SUCKED! But I learned to do
x, x, and x... created this guide... and everything's awesome now!")

Do you find that to be unethical since that person doesn't
actually exist? Or would you consider the main character a
representation of the average buyer?

[zapseo]

Did the "Marlboro Man" exist?

I mean, as the image he portrayed -- the cowboy?

[waken]

Originally Posted by Rachel Rofe

Curious to know what your opinion is on this...

If someone writes a sales letter and makes the main character
someone who doesn't really exist...

("I used to have "X" problem, and it SUCKED! But I learned to do
x, x, and x... created this guide... and everything's awesome now!")

Do you find that to be unethical since that person doesn't
actually exist? Or would you consider the main character a
representation of the average buyer?

There are more unethical methods employed in sales letter ie. Fake testimonials, fake proof, etc.

Buyers have to be prudent themselves when making judgement as there is no way to control these people..

[Rachel Rofe]

I definitely agree that it works. I'm just interested
to see if people have issues with it's ethics.

(I'm not saying I necessarily do or don't... just something
that was on my mind. )

[Rachel Rofe]

Originally Posted by waken

Buyers have to be prudent themselves when making judgement as there is no way to control these people..

Agreed... but me, as a copywriter... would it be wrong for me to
make up these characters?

(I agree testimonials, fake proof, etc. are worse for sure - but still
don't want to do something that's "less wrong", you know?)

[chriswight]

It's not unethical at all. Every ad on tv that has someone extolling the virtues of a product they've supposedly used is just an actor- a made up character. They usually have a "*results may vary" or "dramatization" disclaimer in illegibly small text in a lower corner of the screen, just in case you thought Joe Customer just happened to also be really good on camera.

I think creating a character as a representation of the typical customer is incredibly common, and a great way to tap into the emotions of the consumer. Just make sure that you really believe in what it is you're selling, that you're offering real value, and any moral quandaries should fall by the wayside.

[Alton Hargrave]

In general, when you have to ask if something is alright to do, it usually means that you already disapprove of it.

Personally, I think sales pages should strive to be truthful. From testimonials to "proof of earnings". If the reader ever thinks that it is all fabricated, it is a lost cause.

Alton

[Brian McElroy]

Hey Rach,

I would make a distinction between story and fact.

For example, my new dating product is written
under a pen name- the person writing the letter
does not exist, nor does his story.

However, I won't be making up any FACTS- just
writing a compelling story.

People who write under a pen name do it all the
time.

-B

[Alexandre Valois]

Creating a character for marketing purpose is alright by me.

The problem comes from attributing yourself of the person that you represent fake credential ...

[MontelloMarketing]

Brian's got it, Rach...

It's all about keeping the creativity away from the facts. This is a big chunk of my business, so I know.

And, as I often say... There is no Ronald McDonald... the CEO of Jack in The Box isn't an antenna ball married to a blonde human... When I crack open a roll of Pop N Fresh, a little doughy man in a baker's hat doesn't come out to assist me.

Creativity isn't lying... and lying isn't creative. Stay creative and stay far away from the lying about the product... how good it is... and all that.

[James Legacy]

Yeah, I would vote against it.

I mean, if you portraying the person in the sales letter as a real person... and he or she doesn't really exist... then yeah... uhhhh... that's a problem.

That said, if I remember correctly, the word "imagine" can be a very powerful word in sales copy. So maybe instead of making-up a character and pretending that he/she is real, you could instead say something like...

"Imagine what it would be like to be stuck working in an office building for 50 hours a week with no way out..."

or

"Imagine how embarrassed that girl in high school must have felt to always have her face covered in acne..."

In this way, you can still create an effective story without having to... lie.

Also, if you were to conjure up a story and portray it as the truth, how are you going to respond when you go to a conference and someone says, "Hey, how's your friend Paul doing?"

To which your only reply could be, "Uhhhh.... ummmm...."

At that point, you either have to admit that he doesn't really exist, sending your credibility down the tubes... or, you have to tell another lie, sending your credibility even FURTHER down the tubes.

Anyway, I think I'm giving some good advice here... but I can't take credit for it: I learned this from Jay White.

[Chipt]

I'm with James...

And I went through all JW's email content as well, too...

But one thing that bothers and conflicts me about all this talk is the old adage that "If the truth won't sell it, don't sell it."

So where do you draw the line when you factor in 'honesty?'

That said, I have zero problem using the word 'imagine' because then I can craft any story I wish to use to make any point I want to make. I just never say or pretend that it is the truth or a fact...

Chip Tarver

[SpeedDemon]

I think it also depends on what you're selling. The first thing that came to mind was the usual "make money online" guides where someone claims to have made $xxxx using their product.

I'd have more of a problem with a fake story there than I would with someone claiming to have solved their bad breath problem or something like that. No idea if that distinction makes any rational sense though.

[Paul Buckley]

Originally Posted by zapseo

Did the "Marlboro Man" exist?

I mean, as the image he portrayed -- the cowboy?

Actually, he did exist. He lived in Riverton, WY (so did I at the time) and he was a cowboy. The only thing that wasn't real about (the commercial) him is that he didn't smoke Marlboros. He rolled his own

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by Rachel Rofe

Curious to know what your opinion is on this...

If someone writes a sales letter and makes the main character
someone who doesn't really exist...

("I used to have "X" problem, and it SUCKED! But I learned to do
x, x, and x... created this guide... and everything's awesome now!")

Do you find that to be unethical since that person doesn't
actually exist? Or would you consider the main character a
representation of the average buyer?

Good responses here. Here's my take.

There is a distinction between a fictional character that is used as the face of a company and using a false name presented as reality. The edges can get fuzzy though.

Betty Crocker springs to mind. People still write letters to Betty, though she doesn't exist and has changed her appearance to suit the times. There are Betty Corcker cookbooks and bakeoffs, lending credibility to the idea she is real. But, there is no person going on TV saying, "Hi, I'm Betty Crocker, and here's why I use Brand X".

It's a representation of your product vs. a fictional character making factual-appearing statements.

It can be done, and there may be legitimate reasons for doing so, but I agree with Alton about, "if you have to ask".

~Michael

[ExRat]

Hi,

I don't think it's unethical.

What I DO find particularly interesting is this -

This sort of question gets asked a lot, and every time a few people will suggest that it IS ethical BECAUSE this is what happens in TV advertising.

I also understand the reasons why people make this analogy. But I wonder if anyone else has considered how absurd it is to suggest that because a technique is widely used in television advertising it is therefore an ethical technique?

Does this stem from the subliminal power that TV has upon us due to it being an essential item of furniture in the living rooms of the majority of houses?

[Barry Plaskow]

Originally Posted by Rachel Rofe

Curious to know what your opinion is on this...

If someone writes a sales letter and makes the main character
someone who doesn't really exist...

("I used to have "X" problem, and it SUCKED! But I learned to do
x, x, and x... created this guide... and everything's awesome now!")

Do you find that to be unethical since that person doesn't
actually exist? Or would you consider the main character a
representation of the average buyer?

Great question Rachel-I am glad you brought it up.

I was discussing with Harlan Kilstein on a pre recorded call for the "Marketing Masters" series exactly that question-what represents unethical usage of persuasion?

I asked because I was incensed by a recent request I received from a marketer asking me to promote his product. I received zero information about the nature of the product just that it has brilliant copy and uses buzz words such as the recession to persuade people to buy.

Harlan is very critical of many copywriting and IM practices such as forced continuity and
scarcity especially when it is blatantly deceitful.

I think this is the bottom line-does the reader recognise that the main charecter is fictitious or does the reader think that the charecter is real? I believe if it is the former,then it would be problematic.

I am in no doubt that the net is changing and there will be little room for these tactics in coming years.

It is refreshing for a copywriter like yourself to be asking such a question.

Thanks!

Barry Plaskow