Truth in Advertising?

Unsuspecting moviegoers learned in June that critic David Manning-whose raves about films produced by Sony were prominently featured in the company's ads-simply doesn't exist. He was a creation of a Sony marketing exec, reports the entertainment Web site eonline.com (June 4, 2001).

In a follow-up story on June 15, the site reports that two gushing "fans" of the Sony/Columbia Pictures film The Patriot featured in TV spots were, in fact, actually Sony employees.

Show business has always been about illusion, but is this really good business? We think not.

Unless you're a magician, deceiving your audience is never a good idea. It harms your credibility, affects your professional image, and generally destroys goodwill between you and your audience.

Remember that to build goodwill with content,

• Be complete.


• Anticipate and answer questions the reader is likely to have.


• Show why information the reader did not ask for but is included is important.


• Show readers how the subject of your message affects them.

Though the moviegoing public's memory may be short, Sony now faces a variety of problems. Beyond the bad publicity and sharp criticism by such industry names as Spike Lee, the studio is also facing a lawsuit over the film The Animal. Two Florida parents have accused the studio of marketing that film to children, despite what they claim is its adult content