Marketing claims
What the ad says, and what it leaves out.
Aesthetics ads lean on a small set of phrases. Each one sounds like information and stands where information should be. Paste an ad to see which ones it uses, or browse the library.
Read an ad
A flagged phrase isn’t an accusation. Plenty of honest businesses write weak copy.
It’s read in this browser as you type. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Findings appear here as you type.
Practise on menu lines
Lines in the style you will see on menus and posts. Say what each one actually tells you, then see the reading. There is no score to keep — the point is the question you didn’t think to ask.
A line in a very familiar style
“Baby tox for a soft, frozen-free look”
Which of these does the line actually tell you?
Tick only what it establishes. Leave what it only suggests.
Outcome
- What “permanent” leaves outHow long it realistically lasts, what upkeep costs, and what the result looks like as it fades.Could be measured
- What a “guarantee” actually coversA guarantee is a term of sale. What’s guaranteed, how it would be measured, and who decides whether it was met are left out.Nothing would count as failing it
- What “clinically proven” should come withWhich study, on how many people, compared with what, using this product or device at these settings, and whether it was ever published.Could be measured
- “Up to 80%”: a number without its denominator“Up to” is the top of the range, not what to plan for. The average, the spread and the number of people behind the figure are missing.Could be measured
- What “no side effects” skipsThe conversation where risks get named and agreed to. The ad has no risks section. The consent form should.Nothing would count as failing it
- “Natural-looking”: by whose judgement?Who decides what natural means, and what happens if you disagree. It’s a matter of taste, written as if it were technical.Could be specific, and is not
Mechanism
- “Detox”, “reset” and “boosts immunity”What is being removed, added or changed, and how anyone would know it happened.Nothing would count as failing it
- “Stimulates collagen”: how much, and for how long?Collagen talk describes a process, not a result. It doesn’t say how much changes, how long it lasts, or whether you’d see it in the mirror.Could be specific, and is not
- “All-natural” and “chemical-free”A mood rather than a formula. The words fit almost any ingredient list.Nothing would count as failing it
Credential
- “Master injector” and other job titlesA title isn’t a license. The license type, the board that issued it and the supervising clinician all go unnamed.Could be measured
- “Years of experience”: experience with what?How many of those were this treatment, done by the person treating you, recently. The printed number is rarely that one.Could be measured
- What “medical director” and “physician-led” leave openWhether the doctor is in the building, how often, and whether they’ll ever see you. The role is named; the person and their involvement aren’t.Could be measured
- What the words “med spa” tell youWho the supervising medical license holder is, and whether they’re on site. The name doesn’t say.Could be measured
Brand
- “Signature” and “proprietary” treatmentsThe products, strengths, device settings and ingredients inside the name.Could be specific, and is not
- “Award-winning”, “voted #1” and five-star countsWho gave the award, what they judged, and whether it was paid for. Reputation is standing where the license and the complication plan should be.Could be specific, and is not
- “Latest technology”, compared with what?What it is newer or better than, and whether newer matters for what you want. Buying new equipment is a business decision, not evidence about you.Could be specific, and is not
Regulatory
- What “medical-grade” really meansA grade that sounds official. It stands where the product name and its actual status should be, and tells you neither.Nothing would count as failing it
- What “FDA-approved” does and doesn’t tell youWhich product, and approved for what. An approval names a product and a use. It says nothing about the person using it on you, or whether your treatment is that use.Could be measured
- “FDA-registered” is not “FDA-approved”The difference between being on a list and being reviewed.Could be measured
Commercial
- “Today only” and “limited spots”Time. Specifically, the time to read the consent form and look up a license before you pay.Could be measured
- Specials and per-unit pricesThe product, the amount, and who gives it to you. A rate or a discount isn’t a total.Could be measured
- Memberships, prepay and auto-renewHow to leave: cancellation terms, refunds, and what happens to credits you haven’t used.Could be measured
- “As low as $49 a month”The total. A monthly figure describes the same money, plus any interest, over a term the ad doesn’t name.Could be measured
- The “free consultation”Who runs it, whether they’re licensed, whether they’re paid on what you buy, and whether you can leave with a written plan without paying.Could be specific, and is not
Timing
- “Instant results”What it looks like on day three, not only on day zero, and when the result is actually reviewed.Could be measured
- “No downtime”What the first days actually ask of you. Downtime isn’t only time off work: it can be sun you avoid, workouts you skip, or makeup you can’t wear.Could be measured