FREAK Shots: What Good Is Honest Advertising?

While advertising may try to mislead you, this piece of marketing — which a Freakonomics reader named Matthew Limber found on his milk cap — takes a completely honest (and apparently self-sabotaging) approach.

Photo: Matthew Limber

So did Listerine’s TV ads from 2005, which claimed that “Listerine’s as effective as floss at fighting plaque and gingivitis,” but cautioned, “There’s no replacement for flossing.”

Listerine’s double message still upset the American Dental Association and producers of dental floss; they were concerned that customers would ignore the flossing part.

Listerine’s Web site no longer carries the claim.

Any other examples of too-honest advertising?

(Send your FREAK-worthy photos here.)