Comments on: Fat Chance: Get a “Free” Month of Weight Watchers http://www.mouseprint.org/2009/09/21/fat-chance-get-a-free-month-of-weight-watchers/ Exposing the strings and catches buried in the fine print. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:52:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: GRM Sr http://www.mouseprint.org/2009/09/21/fat-chance-get-a-free-month-of-weight-watchers/comment-page-1/#comment-213947 GRM Sr Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:40:51 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=1740#comment-213947 It looks like they are at it again. This time promising a "free to join online". We just watched the add, but as before, when you go to the site they tell you to go to, it says "Free, when you buy a 3 month plan" We thought you can not put ads like this on American TV, but as we see here, I guess you can, and over and over as well. We wrote to WeightWatchers, but haven't heard from them. So, "BEWARE OF ANYTHING WEIGHTWATCHERS SAYS" Here is a copy of what we wrote: We just saw your add on TV about the FREE Weightwatchers online offer. But you are just lying to the public. When you go to your site to register, you say it is FREE only if you pay. That is a blatant deception, and an outright lie. We are going to contact the networks and anyone else we can to stop you from cheating people. You just want to get them to your site, and then charge them. Things must be going very bad for your company to sink to such levels of deception. You even have the nerve to make the url "free to join". We had thought about joining your organization many times over the years, but we can see now, your goal is to make money and not help people. We are just so shocked and disappointed to see what we always thought was an ethical company fall to such low level of deception. It looks like they are at it again. This time promising a “free to join online”. We just watched the add, but as before, when you go to the site they tell you to go to, it says “Free, when you buy a 3 month plan” We thought you can not put ads like this on American TV, but as we see here, I guess you can, and over and over as well. We wrote to WeightWatchers, but haven’t heard from them. So, “BEWARE OF ANYTHING WEIGHTWATCHERS SAYS”
Here is a copy of what we wrote: We just saw your add on TV about the FREE Weightwatchers online offer. But you are just lying to the public. When you go to your site to register, you say it is FREE only if you pay. That is a blatant deception, and an outright lie. We are going to contact the networks and anyone else we can to stop you from cheating people. You just want to get them to your site, and then charge them. Things must be going very bad for your company to sink to such levels of deception. You even have the nerve to make the url “free to join”. We had thought about joining your organization many times over the years, but we can see now, your goal is to make money and not help people. We are just so shocked and disappointed to see what we always thought was an ethical company fall to such low level of deception.

]]> By: DT http://www.mouseprint.org/2009/09/21/fat-chance-get-a-free-month-of-weight-watchers/comment-page-1/#comment-190155 DT Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:19:07 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=1740#comment-190155 This is truely a deceptive ad. Weight Watchers is not giving you a free month, they are giving you a 25% or 50% discount, depending on which plan you select, off the regular price of their program. If the advertising industry wants to police itself, this would be a good place to start. The media, whether print or electronic, should reject these kinds of deceptiive ads. Legal action by govermental bodies is to slow. This type of advertising needs to be nipped in the bud, before it is broacast. Shame on Weight Watchers for writing the ad, and on the media for presenting it. This is truely a deceptive ad. Weight Watchers is not giving you a free month, they are giving you a 25% or 50% discount, depending on which plan you select, off the regular price of their program.
If the advertising industry wants to police itself, this would be a good place to start. The media, whether print or electronic, should reject these kinds of deceptiive ads. Legal action by govermental bodies is to slow. This type of advertising needs to be nipped in the bud, before it is broacast. Shame on Weight Watchers for writing the ad, and on the media for presenting it.

]]> By: Mark701 http://www.mouseprint.org/2009/09/21/fat-chance-get-a-free-month-of-weight-watchers/comment-page-1/#comment-189762 Mark701 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:14:59 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=1740#comment-189762 Just another small example of corporate Americas absolute contempt for the American consumer. Just another small example of corporate Americas absolute contempt for the American consumer.

]]> By: HVR1 http://www.mouseprint.org/2009/09/21/fat-chance-get-a-free-month-of-weight-watchers/comment-page-1/#comment-189629 HVR1 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:38:08 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=1740#comment-189629 Oh, there's a free month alright, you just have to have your microscope handy to read what hoops and cars you have to jump through and over to get it. Unfortunately fair and honest advertising about eating your veggies twice a day and excising can't compare to the revenue these companies get when you throw your money at them. If we make the fast talking guy read an entire page of smallprint in 5 seconds +1o pitch will it be legal? If we take the dot of that small print and convert to a single dot is that okay? This world (although I live in the United States) needs dignity broadcasting, is public media still in favour? Hopefully in the future consumer awareness will dominate this. Oh, there’s a free month alright, you just have to have your microscope handy to read what hoops and cars you have to jump through and over to get it. Unfortunately fair and honest advertising about eating your veggies twice a day and excising can’t compare to the revenue these companies get when you throw your money at them. If we make the fast talking guy read an entire page of smallprint in 5 seconds +1o pitch will it be legal? If we take the dot of that small print and convert to a single dot is that okay?

This world (although I live in the United States) needs dignity broadcasting, is public media still in favour? Hopefully in the future consumer awareness will dominate this.

]]> By: j g heller http://www.mouseprint.org/2009/09/21/fat-chance-get-a-free-month-of-weight-watchers/comment-page-1/#comment-189457 j g heller Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:09:15 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=1740#comment-189457 Dictionary definitions (from an assortment of English and American language dictionaries) simply do not allow for this usage of the word "Free" ... Free means without any attachment, exception or burden ... Free means "having no trade restrictions. This type of advertisement falsely appears to offer something that does not exist. Weight Watchers is not alone ... the airwaves are full of such falsehoods. Dictionary definitions (from an assortment of English and American language dictionaries) simply do not allow for this usage of the word “Free” … Free means without any attachment, exception or burden … Free means “having no trade restrictions. This type of advertisement falsely appears to offer something that does not exist. Weight Watchers is not alone … the airwaves are full of such falsehoods.

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