You don’t have to watch too many commercials before you notice an awful lot of really obvious disclaimers about how the animated arrows going up the nose (or other opening) of the person in question are just a dramatization, how the little guy on that disgusting commercial about toenail fungus isn’t real or that you shouldn’t try to hang your pick-up truck from the ceiling using the bolts that anchor the bed to the frame.
But really…how seriously are these disclaimers needed and who decides when to include them? Is the legal department of your average compnay really that paranoid that the really feel it’s necessary to explain that I should only use “Ointment X” “As Directed”?
Yes, thank you Preparation H, I know it’s a dramatization…I’m not really sure what part of the body your animation is showing me but I know it ain’t real.
I’d imagine for things that involve dangers, like driving under the truck you’re picking up, then yes, I think the disclaimers are necceasary. I’m quite sure someone will try that and wind up getting killed. (Remember, the pulley’s and cable have to be strong enough too, as does whatever you anchor them into). OTOH, telling viewers that animated arrows arn’t going to come out of the bottle or that there an’t really bubbles that come alive and scrub your sink out, well…well, I guess they want to make sure people don’t return the product becuase of that. Yes, some people do take those things literally. (That’s def 1 of the word literally and not def 2.)
Yeah, this one’s legit. Think of all of those supermodels who touted Preperation-H as an awesome skin cream. I know of a guy who once used Listerine as a topical disinfectant. There are people who believe rumors about “miracle cures” in some medicines which aren’t sold to treat that ailment. In some cases, it might actually work, or at least do no harm, but in other cases people can be sickened or injured by “off-lable use.”