Last night I was watching TV, when I saw this commercial for Scheidegger, an educational institute.
While I watched it, a couple of questions immediately popped in to my head. So, let's analyze this commercial for a bit.
First of all, it is said that more than 1 million people have a diploma of Scheideggers'. Sure, sounds like a lot, but 1 million people out of how many that started a study there?
The commercial continues to say that it is makes complete sense that 1 million people have a diploma. This sounds strange already, because why exactly does that make sense? Well, the explanation according to the commercial: It is because of in-class lectures and personal guidance.
This might sound like a good reason, but think about it. In-class lectures? Doesn't almost every school or university offer those? As for personal guidance, that's no unique feature either. Yes, it might help, but it is no reason why it would make sense that you'll get your diploma, since we all know that getting your diploma is mostly up to yourself and your effort and motivation.
The commercial continues to say that they give a warranty: when you don't pass, you can try it again. Where exactly is the warranty in this? It is no warranty that you will indeed get your diploma, since you can easily fail again the second time. So what then? Is it a warranty that you can definitely try again? And if it is, how does that make Scheidegger a better educational instute than others?
Well, let's see if maybe it all comes together in the end. The commercial ends by saying 'Scheidegger, where you always succeed.' I think this is meant to be a slogan which you can see in two ways. First they want to say that you can always find something you want there. Well, that's probably not true, but they do have a variety of studies there and besides, it is not really an exceptional thing for marketeers to say.
However, the more important meaning of the slogan is that you will always get your diploma. Which simply cannot be true. It just can't be that there has never been anyone starting a study at Scheidegger and not finished or not passed it. And no, I'm not going to proof that, but I don't suppose that anyone wants to argue with me about that fact. So, the commercial gives untrue information.
Given that this is a commercial for an educational institute, I would expect it to be smart. But this commercial definitely isn't. Actually, this would only convince me not to subscribe there. However, it is a good example to be used in marketing lectures to show the things that can be wrong with a commercial. A small credit for that contribution.
I'm not sure I'd agree that all of these things are wrongs, especially not when the commercial is regarded as a tool for marketing. Specifically the bit where they explain why Scheidegger is so good is common enough - most commercials somehow exaggerate or list things that aren't very special (cf. toothpaste tubes with a bright label saying "With Fluoride!", even though virtually all toothpaste has that). I also suppose that in-class lectures might be a special thing for this sort of institute, if not so much for education in general.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThe bit about the passing guarantee is commonly used, but it's important to point out how stupid it is. You're completely right: in the end the student's the one who'll have to make the effort. A passing guarantee is definitely no actual passing guarantee. I like how this makes it even more clear that many educational institutes are companies with a board, employees and a marketing team, just like any other.
I agree with you on the marketing part. Of course these things are all marketing tools, and they are not wrong, it's just that when you start thinking about what they're actually saying, nothing they are saying is really special, even though they make it sound like it is. But yes, almost every commercial does that.
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