Summary: The Gruen Transfer

Rationale

This Further Oral Activity will be presented in a T.V. show format (Based on the show “The Gruen Transfer”), with the host focusing on the false advertising of well-known health foods and drinks. This FOA will focus on the persuasive language and manipulative strategies used by businesses to influence and mislead consumers into believing false perceptions of their product, using case examples to support the evidence presented. The purpose of this FOA to inform the audience on the plethora of manipulative and persuasive language used in advertising from ‘supposedly’ healthy products, while the target audience is Australian T.V. viewers 18-50 who are interested in the influence of advertising. The context of the piece is based on today’s

According to Nature Valley’s website, this sweet slice is “packed with natural whole gain oats and real honey”, and they mentioned this in the advertisement along with a graphic representation of the creation and contents of the bar. The visual narrative that revolved around the product being ‘from nature itself’ and the packaging seen at the end of the advertisement also attempted to project a healthy image for the brand.

However, according to Choice Consumer Group’s Muesli Bar Reviews in 2016, Nature Valley’s oats and honey muesli bar was found to have the same * saturated fat content as 2 rashers of bacon, 2 eggs and a fried tomato *. It even was found to have more * Kilojoules than an average Mars Bar! In fact, the study found that most muesli bars usually have more than 1000 Kilojoules. See how misleading advertisements and packaging can be?! These clever marketing techniques are giving extremely sugary foods a healthy perception to make it more enticing to buy – even though it’s still not healthier than confectionary.

Videos

But this rating is only possible when * just 3 teaspoons of the chocolate powder is mixed in with skim milk. With the product alone, or even with full cream milk, the dirt scores a measly 1 and a half stars. *

Target Market

While government intervention is restricting the use of misleading language and informing consumers with actual dietary information, persuasive language techniques are still being used by businesses to influence and mislead consumers into believing a false perception of the product. Advertisements often carry these misleading health and nutrition claims to entice vulnerable viewers who usually can’t make informed decisions about what they buy. This is an increasingly concerning factor in the growing national epidemic of obesity.

Adverts often mask foods that are unhealthy by emphasising its positive nutritional features – such as dietary fibre and protein. While at the same time ignoring its negative features – including the high amounts of saturated fat and sugar contents. In some cases, even products that mention any alleged health benefits are usually are outweighed by the health risks associated with consuming the product, that they just fail to