Exercise Ads and Equipment: Judging Infomercials
Exercise equipment infomercials are not unfamiliar or unknown to anyone who spends any amount of time watching TV. Chances are you could easily name at least four or five products that you have seen advertised on exercise equipment infomercials. In fact, these lengthy, explanatory commercials are sometimes the only method of selling certain exercise products. There is something about those infomercials that sucks viewers into watching them, even though they have already seen plenty of others that just like them. However, many people often wonder, despite all their criticisms of infomercials, if there really is any validity in the claims these commercials make. Could the products really be as useful and effective as their manufacturers claim?
Exercise Equipment Infomercials: The Scoop
The thing that most people already know—or should learn and remember if they don’t know—is that exercise equipment infomercials are generally based on flashy advertising and exaggerated claims. They are filled with testimonials from numerous people who claim that this machine or product changed their lives and dramatically improved their fitness. These testimonials are usually accompanied by striking before and after photos, revealing the amazing bodily change. However, if you have ever analyzed the photos or really even just thought about them for more than the two seconds they are on the screen, you would notice that there is usually a lot more than just smaller waistlines and bigger muscles improving the “after” image. There is also better lighting, straighter posture, a darker tan, and sexier clothing. Surely anyone could look better in an “after” image with all that help, even without any improvements in weight or muscles.
This is not to say, however, that all exercise equipment infomercials should be automatically discounted and ignored. There could be some truth to the claims they make, even if the actual results are not as amazing, fast, or striking as the ones they advertise. Everyone knows that advertising sells products, and without the advertising probably few people would be inclined to buy much of anything. With hard work and determination, it is likely that most machines could at least guarantee some degree of improvement in terms of body appearance and fitness.
If you want to take advantage of a good deal being offered by an exercise equipment infomercial without getting duped by a fraud, just be a savvy consumer. Do not be swayed by outlandish claims or offers that encourage you to make a quick decision in the next two minutes. For those products that can only be purchased by phone, take down the number and think about it for a few days. Think about if the product is designed to meet your needs and do a little research. There are many different websites out there that actually offer detailed reviews of infomercial products, so you can get an analytical evaluation of the product before you take the plunge.