Total time to find a deceptive ad on YouTube: 60 seconds. 15 seconds to search, and 45 more to watch the commercial.  Of course, the ad being deceptive is just my opinion. To me, the promise they make is just an illusion.

Watch, paying careful attention to the end of the commercial, then continue reading…  (Facebook Note readers can find the video here, because FB doesn’t import the embedded video from my blog.)

Joy. According to BMW, that’s what you receive by driving one of their cars. You aren’t just buying a car, you’re purchasing joy.  And let’s not just pick on BMW. The list of car-makers who use their ads to appeal to our emotions, rather than explain why they make the best car, is endless.

Instead of me rambling about deception here, I’m way more curious what YOU think.  As you share your opinions and comments, please keep in mind these few final questions from me:

1. One of the highest rates of suicide is among wealthy business men. Does that mean that you can’t purchase true happiness no matter how much money you have?  Or is there a link between your level of income and your state of happiness?

2. BMW makes excellence cars, and therefore, some argue that more expensive, luxury cards are simply a better investment of your resources. Does that sometimes justify the purchase of a more expensive car like a Mercedes, Lexus, or BMW?

3. Driving a luxury car makes you feel good about yourself, and therefore provides a moment of happiness. It also changes the way people look at you. Is there anything wrong with that?

4. In the short 3 minutes it took to read this post, over 30 children died because their families couldn’t afford to buy food. Is this relevant at all to this conversation?

5. Does this kind of advertising really affect our decision-making, the way we think about ourselves, and how we choose to live? Or am I just making a big deal out of nothing?

What do you think? I’d be honored if you took the time to share…