Fun week part IV: Seeing a marketer caught in a lie

I remember reading Consumer Reports initial review of the Ionic Breeze air filter a couple years ago and understanding it was not the great things the commercials made it sound like. Sharper Image sued CR and it got tossed out, all while selling 2 million IBs.

Chris Bush posted about new CR claims about the IB, and SI's response

One of the big "success stories" in the recent annals of DRTV (Direct Response TV) has been the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze. But, according to this story at engadget.com, the company may need to find a new stud for its stable.

Here's the Consumer Reports position.

Here's Sharper Image's response to the May 2005 story in Consumer Reports.

This has all the makings of the media version of the Hatfields and McCoys.

While the new technical issue is the generation of Ozone (that 'fresh smell' the IB brags about), the CR position mostly talks about the lies that SI's endorsements are. SI concentrates on the ozone issue in their response, leaving clarification of product endorsements as footnotes.

As a marketer/copywriter/salesperson, the response by SI just smells of PR cover-up. How false does a statement like this sound: "its safe enjoyment by millions of consumers is impressive testimony to its safety and effectiveness as an air cleaner. " Ford could have said the same about the Pinto!