How do YOU spell RELIEF?

September 3, 2008

Now this is a true story, about me when I was in the 2^nd grade…and any of you that grew up in the late ‘70s early ‘80s will most likely remember this TV ad.

I was in the school spelling bee. I was standing in the line of kids, palms sweating, heart pounding…praying that I would get one that I knew, as I wasn’t the best speller and making it to the final 5 or 6 was a true accomplishment for me.  Anyway, the teacher looked me in the eye and said…

“Matthew, how do you spell relief?”

Ohhhh I was ecstatic…I got this one!

I replied “R-O-L-A-I-D-S.” 

And I was shocked when the teacher said “wrong”…I was positive that I had spelled it right…absolutely POSITIVE!  The correct spelling had been BURNED into my head by the TV set…so how could I be wrong?  The TV taught me this…and the TV is not wrong!

Even though I lost the spelling bee, the teacher found it so funny that she called our local radio station and they told the story for the rest of the day. Ah, my brief brush with fame.  My mom likes to tell the story every now and again…30 something years later…And, there was a time when I was embarrassed by this, but it is also my reminder.

So what does this story have to do with a fitness blog?  It’s just a warning…to pay attention to the marketing of products.  Especially now days…the companies are clever and are in our face from all angles.  And, yes it is justified to say that of course a kid would be very literal and take advertising in its black and white state…and that adults do not.  But we all know that is not true. 

There is no magic pills.  There is no magic machine.  There is no magic exercise program.

DO NOT FALL FOR IT.

There is nothing but eating healthy and exercising consistently…if you do that the rest just falls into place…

And btw…the pic is my bro, not just some random clip art…it was taken after tooooooo many red peppers on his pizza!

What marketing traps do you fall into?

Cheers to your Health & Fitness!

Matthew

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