Question: Can I use exaggeration in my advertisements?
Answer:Yes, within reason. You can use exaggeration to promote your product or service if it is a statement that is clearly one that a reasonable person would not take seriously. E.g. ‘the best coffee in the world.’ There is no way to prove this statement, as it is not capable of an objective assessment. This kind of exaggeration in advertisements is called puffery. If you want to use this kind of advertising you need to be mindful that in the overall context of your advertisement the message cannot be taken literally by your intended customers.
Check out our case study of Red Bull’s “give you wings” slogan and further analysis of puffery and exaggeration in advertising.
