I never had an issue with advertising. It is part of the game. And “endorsements” essentially take advertising to the next level. Respected people do these endorsements, top actors, athletes and podcasters. The rationale is that we (the audience) all know the game. We know they are paid and we take ads with a grain of salt. We also expect reputable people to only advertise products they think have value. Even a product like Pepsi that is the exact same thing as Coke has value and is not worse than Coke. If you endorse a brand that is fair too, brands have a right to flaunt their feathers.
So why do some endorsements make me vomit? Is it because I don’t like the person? Or is it something else? After much deliberation, discussion, introspection and analysis I came to a satisfying answer.
If you watch someone like Howard Stern or the lovely and talented Sarah Lane pitch a product, you see that they are doing their job. They read the copy, and if it is a silly product they have fun with it. Whereas when others do ads, they lie and lie and oversell. You think this is my imagination and my bias but it is not. I assure ya.
It is very subtle but there is a Grand Canyon of difference between endorsing a product and outright lying. The lovely and talented Sarah Lane will say, Square Space is great, it’s the best, you will love it etc. In advertising jargon this is called “puffing” and is legal. Whereas Leo will say I love it, I use it and insert a fictitious story. The pronoun “I” is key. Preying on our trust.
Pop Quiz -One of the following two statements is a lie:
- Totaldrama is the #1 site in the world
- Totaldrama gets over 700,000 hits a day
Casper Mattresses: A mattress was delivered to his home, he made a video in a foyer then threw it away.
Citrix & Hipchat: Two competing services but he uses both?
Personal Capital: He won’t take the few minutes to put in his information, his account has two #s in it.
Smart Things: This product is total shit.
Bark Box: Possibly the biggest waste of money ever invented. Dogs like sticks, rags and meat.
Jack Erwin: He only wears them on days when doing the ad and he gets them free. They must suck.
Zip Recruiter: They have hired zero employees via Zip Recruiter.
Do your fans a favor, advertise, we get it, but stop lying. And don’t force yourself to use it just so you can say you use it. I don’t mind if you praise any of the products, it’s the lying I can not stomach.
Also, people work hard building their names and brands and they earn the right to sell their names. This man uses Amber McArthur’s name every time he pitches Freshbooks and Kevin Rose’s name every time he pitches Legalzoom, is that right? Pay them!
You go too far.
Why no comment on TWIT having to hire a security guard and set up procedures, as he mentioned to Paul and Mary Jo? He said he would discuss it privately with them?…. off air!,,,,,The plot thickens…..and I love the offer to Sarah to come in and host IPT when he can’t…..what a crock…..nice of Li$$$$a to come on camera and say goodby to the lovely Sara, who is laughing all the way to the bank. She is doing a stunning job on her show. Please wipe your I pad Sarah…..and give it back to the money, now CEO, on your way out…….You can bet Sarah laughed all the way to San Fran, no more HATS…..Leo, the ship is sinking, your next European trip should put over the edge………
delusional» Quote comment
So true! An excellent analysis. Everything about Leo is a misrepresentation. How do people still fall for it?
Hugh Jassole» Quote comment
Too long; didn’t read…
Cunter Cuntenheimer» Quote comment
Please read it, a lot of length is video and pictures. Please? Also you can abbreviate to “TLDR” if you’re really short on time.
Richard Yes» Quote comment
I did. It said my comment was too short.
Cunter Cuntenheimer» Quote comment
Absolutely one of the best posts ever! Great Job, keep it up.
It is one of the biggest reasons I don’t listen to Twit anymore. The bologna advertising lies.
magic» Quote comment
I heard him say the mattress was in the guest bedroom , when they weren’t recording.
Mark Harry» Quote comment
Well put, great insight in the difference between a pro and a sell out.
Scott» Quote comment
1. Is the document proving he didn’t use Legalzoom?
2. Close enough, August 2007 is ten years ago
3. When Howard says “I love” it’s shtick, Leo lies
Hey Now» Quote comment
If you google the phone number, it shows that it belongs to bizfilings.com – in other words, Leo used BizFilings.com to register TWiT LLC, not LegalZoom like he always says. Hence, the registered agent being Business Filings Incorporated.
So everything he’s said about LegalZoom is a lie. Didn’t register 10 years ago. He didn’t use LegalZoom at all. Technically, because of this, TWiT LLC doesn’t even pre-date Twitter like he always says! Twitter launched in 2006. Twit wasn’t incorporated until late 2007.
I mean, I understand that it’s advertisement and all that, but why would you lie about something like this? I know Leo’s been loose with the truth in the past (to put it mildly), but this is a whole new level, I think. Not that it’s particularly important — but that’s just the point: he lies about things that don’t matter. It’s not even big lies like the whole ordeal with Tom’s salary. It’s little things like the website he used to incorporate twit. Why would that even matter!?
Crazy.
JAS» Quote comment
Wait. Nevermind the twitter comment — Leo registered the twit trademark in 2006. I was wrong. I apologize.
http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:zt4yro.2.17
JAS» Quote comment
The registered agent can be changed any time. I just did so with my LLC.
Leo sucks anyway.
Guest?» Quote comment
Attaboy, Richard Yes!
Holden» Quote comment
Yes! Attaboy Richard Yes! This was a great blogpost, and this is priceless: “Bark Box: Possibly the biggest waste of money ever invented. Dogs like sticks, rags and meat.”
In addition to all your other excellent points, I hate it when Leo says during a commercial, “I want you to try it.” It’s too strong. Almost a demand. Also, it’s a cliché from hard-sell, schlock commercials from the past. Nasty.
Lester Smalls» Quote comment
This is the kind of blog I had hoped TotalDrama would be. I found it in the .eu time, with the personal insults and judgements about appearance. This is great stuff. I hope everyone clicks your ads.
NoReason» Quote comment
You forgot to mention about Ford how after they dropped sponsoring TWIT Leo quickly went and sold his U.S. made car and bought a German made Audi.
specie8470» Quote comment
The thing about Ford is that when they were a sponsor they were a relevant tech company. He mentioned them in the shows a lot. NATIVE ADVERTISING. Alan Mullaly was a Boeing cockpit engineer. Now, Ford will never come up in show.
Richard Yes» Quote comment
Ford comes up in name dropping. Sometimes Leo is able to work into the conversation how Alan Mullaly is a close personal friend of his.
Andy» Quote comment
So today in the Christian world is Good Friday, a day to confess one’s sins in preparation of Christ rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. I’m a Christian .
With this said, I have a confession to make. All that trash talk I wrote about Christina Warren? Not true. At all. Truth be told I’m a major Christina fanboy!! How can I not be? Gorgeous big doe eyes, porcelain white skin, cute mouth and pretty brown hair. And she looks adorable in those hats! The reason she talks fast – she’s smart and has a lot to say, silly.
Not let’s contrast her to chipmunk y, long-faced, fake blond , past-her-expiration-date Sarah Lane. Already divorced by her early 20s, she has no cam presence and projects a superior vibe. Her comments are trite and not very interesting. Or let me put it this way: whereas Sarah is haughtily unapproachable, Ms. Warren is the type of gal you can down a few Buds with at the local taproom.
I follow Christina on Facebook and Twitter. She’s an amazing journalist. So there,
/end of confession.
Holden» Quote comment
Yeah I thought the same… For a while.
CW seems smart but after a bit, it becomes very shallow.
SL … I gave her so many chances and just let me down.
Kind of annoyance arrogance. I didn’t watch IPT after the first show cuz Leo is an ass. Oh well
Pmb» Quote comment
Oh come on. You went too far. He does eat the Nature Box shipment within the first 5 minutes of delivery. Get your facts straight.
hehehe» Quote comment