#1. Because of their shitty advertising:
****************************************************Muscletech Advertising
"To get the attention of that ample-bosomed goddess that's strutting down the beach, all you have to do is put on a smile.l.. and... be yourself. Not likely!... It's time you learned the facts on what will... capture the interest of a beautiful woman. Don't worry, it doesn't involve you reciting a sappy poem or giving her a cuddly teddy bear. Save those for the first time you screw up..."
"Hydroxycut can help you achieve the... results you and the ladies are looking for... Your workouts will seem intensified as you jump from machine to machine, free weight to free weight, determined to hypnotize the ladies with your incredible feats of strength... It's time to stop simply admiring that babe at the beach and start helping her with her tanning lotion. It's time to set the wheels in motion for a... physique no woman can resist! " (Rock Hard and Ready For Summer!)
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Answered by: (CLAYTON SOUTH)
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It is advertising... like this that I detest. I am of the opinion that advertising like this represents the lowest mentality that the industry has to offer... The fact that it's approved for publication does not say much for their advertising manager, or the company. Any company that values its reputation in the industry would run from crap like that. It's the dumbest advertising I have seen in all of my life... it is an insult to women and to the intelligence of all who read it. It is an insult because this company, somehow, believes that the bullcrap they print in the advertisements will actually be believed. This kind of advertising makes it pretty clear that they think their customers are stupid.
I do not think that other examples from their "advertising" material are required to demonstrate the point, as the other examples in Augusts column are roughly equivalent to the provided material.
The other issue I took with MuscleTech was with respect to the so-called science that they use to promote their products. On this issue, I wrote the following. I also take issue with some of the so-called "science" that MuscleTech uses to promote and support the efficacy of its products.:
1. Burke, D.G., et al. NITRO-TECH + CELL-TECH: The "Stack." University of Saskatchewan, 2000. Unpublished results.
On their corporate Web site, MuscleTech discusses Nitro Tech and Cell Tech. They cite a piece of research undertaken at the University of Saskatchewan in the year 2000. However, after three years, the research remains unpublished. Let me explain to you what that means.
Any time that a study is published in a scholarly journal it must undergo a peer review process in order to ensure that the research is sound and is of the standard acceptable in the profession (whatever profession that may be). If there are errors in the research, it will be rejected. If research is genuine (if it is research at all) it will cost a considerable amount of money to conduct. Therefore, the individuals that conduct studies desire to have those studies published as quickly as possible after the studies completed. They never usually wait for three years to publish.
In fact, nobody knows exactly what this particular study had to say, how it was designed, the methodology, how the data was computed, or the rationale. For crying out loud, there is not even an abstract to read on the research! When you go to the Web site of MuscleTech and you click on the section that provides you with a listing of all available abstracts for the research cited, this study does not appear on that list.
The big questions that should be going through the minds of consumers are: if this study was important enough to be cited as evidence to support the efficacy of the product, why is it that nobody can read the details? Why is it that there is no abstract? And why, if the research was credible, has it not been published in any professional journal? Why is it that MuscleTech is using a source that nobody can check on? It all seems kinda fishy to me.
Since the publication of Augusts column, there has been no response from MuscleTech on this issue. Their muted response is somewhat surprising, considering that around the same time an aggressive campaign was mounted against bodybuilding web boards to suppress free speech regarding their products. Legal action was threatened, and a scare campaign was launched against individuals who has dissenting opinions regarding MuscleTech. For verification on these actions regarding the message boards, refer to those boards here on Bodybuilding.com.
Rather than defend themselves with evidence against public consensus, it seems that MuscleTech has chosen to continue their mass advertising campaigns in the magazines. Surely, MuscleTech has a duty to consumers to address issues regarding advertising responsibility and decency, as well as product efficacy and validity. They have a duty to issue a response in a forthright, honest, and straightforward manner. If they have nothing to hide, then the opportunity to discuss these issues openly should be welcomed.
Accordingly, I am calling on MuscleTech to address these issues in the interest of consumers. For too long the consumer has been taken advantage of by companies that manufacture shoddy products and who attempt to obfuscate the truth by swamping the media with irresponsible and insulting advertising propaganda. NO MORE! The time for clarification and accountability has arrived. Should MuscleTech choose to honor its commitments to clarify these issues, I will publish their response, in full, without modification, in this column. In the interest of consumers, these issues of responsibility, decency and science need to be addressed.
****************************************************
****************************************************Muscletech Advertising
"To get the attention of that ample-bosomed goddess that's strutting down the beach, all you have to do is put on a smile.l.. and... be yourself. Not likely!... It's time you learned the facts on what will... capture the interest of a beautiful woman. Don't worry, it doesn't involve you reciting a sappy poem or giving her a cuddly teddy bear. Save those for the first time you screw up..."
"Hydroxycut can help you achieve the... results you and the ladies are looking for... Your workouts will seem intensified as you jump from machine to machine, free weight to free weight, determined to hypnotize the ladies with your incredible feats of strength... It's time to stop simply admiring that babe at the beach and start helping her with her tanning lotion. It's time to set the wheels in motion for a... physique no woman can resist! " (Rock Hard and Ready For Summer!)
****************************************************
Answered by: (CLAYTON SOUTH)
****************************************************
It is advertising... like this that I detest. I am of the opinion that advertising like this represents the lowest mentality that the industry has to offer... The fact that it's approved for publication does not say much for their advertising manager, or the company. Any company that values its reputation in the industry would run from crap like that. It's the dumbest advertising I have seen in all of my life... it is an insult to women and to the intelligence of all who read it. It is an insult because this company, somehow, believes that the bullcrap they print in the advertisements will actually be believed. This kind of advertising makes it pretty clear that they think their customers are stupid.
I do not think that other examples from their "advertising" material are required to demonstrate the point, as the other examples in Augusts column are roughly equivalent to the provided material.
The other issue I took with MuscleTech was with respect to the so-called science that they use to promote their products. On this issue, I wrote the following. I also take issue with some of the so-called "science" that MuscleTech uses to promote and support the efficacy of its products.:
1. Burke, D.G., et al. NITRO-TECH + CELL-TECH: The "Stack." University of Saskatchewan, 2000. Unpublished results.
On their corporate Web site, MuscleTech discusses Nitro Tech and Cell Tech. They cite a piece of research undertaken at the University of Saskatchewan in the year 2000. However, after three years, the research remains unpublished. Let me explain to you what that means.
Any time that a study is published in a scholarly journal it must undergo a peer review process in order to ensure that the research is sound and is of the standard acceptable in the profession (whatever profession that may be). If there are errors in the research, it will be rejected. If research is genuine (if it is research at all) it will cost a considerable amount of money to conduct. Therefore, the individuals that conduct studies desire to have those studies published as quickly as possible after the studies completed. They never usually wait for three years to publish.
In fact, nobody knows exactly what this particular study had to say, how it was designed, the methodology, how the data was computed, or the rationale. For crying out loud, there is not even an abstract to read on the research! When you go to the Web site of MuscleTech and you click on the section that provides you with a listing of all available abstracts for the research cited, this study does not appear on that list.
The big questions that should be going through the minds of consumers are: if this study was important enough to be cited as evidence to support the efficacy of the product, why is it that nobody can read the details? Why is it that there is no abstract? And why, if the research was credible, has it not been published in any professional journal? Why is it that MuscleTech is using a source that nobody can check on? It all seems kinda fishy to me.
Since the publication of Augusts column, there has been no response from MuscleTech on this issue. Their muted response is somewhat surprising, considering that around the same time an aggressive campaign was mounted against bodybuilding web boards to suppress free speech regarding their products. Legal action was threatened, and a scare campaign was launched against individuals who has dissenting opinions regarding MuscleTech. For verification on these actions regarding the message boards, refer to those boards here on Bodybuilding.com.
Rather than defend themselves with evidence against public consensus, it seems that MuscleTech has chosen to continue their mass advertising campaigns in the magazines. Surely, MuscleTech has a duty to consumers to address issues regarding advertising responsibility and decency, as well as product efficacy and validity. They have a duty to issue a response in a forthright, honest, and straightforward manner. If they have nothing to hide, then the opportunity to discuss these issues openly should be welcomed.
Accordingly, I am calling on MuscleTech to address these issues in the interest of consumers. For too long the consumer has been taken advantage of by companies that manufacture shoddy products and who attempt to obfuscate the truth by swamping the media with irresponsible and insulting advertising propaganda. NO MORE! The time for clarification and accountability has arrived. Should MuscleTech choose to honor its commitments to clarify these issues, I will publish their response, in full, without modification, in this column. In the interest of consumers, these issues of responsibility, decency and science need to be addressed.
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