(^194) THE M IN D OF THE BUY E R
h undre d. We may ac c ep t th ese amo un ts with
c on si derabl e c o nfidenc e be ca use th ey app ea r
in all th ree of th e diverse m edium s examined.
Th e graph sh ows th a t th e grea te st regula r
ity in th e de cline o f unt ru thful ne ss c om es
a ft e r^1912. This i s ap p roximat ely th e d ate
of th e a dop ti on of th e mott o, Tru th , by th e
Associa te d A dve rtising Cl ub s o f th e Worl d.
P revio us t o thi s h a d com e th e Con gre ssional
p ure fo od an d drug l aws of^1906. F o r som e
yea rs th ereaft e r a dve rtisers w ere no t c ert ain
h ow fa r th ey mi gh t go i n th ei r desc ri ptions.
As th e c urve s sh ow , th ey o scill a ted b ack a nd
forth be twe en supe rl a tives a nd weake r s ta t e
me n ts. B y (^1912) , h oweve r, th ey eith e r h a d
c om e to ta ke th e spi ri t of th e l aw more se
rio usl y o r h a d become m ore sc rupul o us, or
ha d discovere d th a t t ru th ful advertising pays.
Probably un de r t h e i nfluenc e of all th ese
ca uses th ey se ttl ed down to a growing regard
fo r th e t ru th , re ducing th e ra ti o of ex a ggera
tio n rapidly to two p e r c ent.
Th e a uth o r doe s no t a dvo cat e th e use of th e
sup erl ative a s a n ab sol ut e t e st of t ruthfuln ess
i n a dverti sing. At best i t c a n serve a s only
o ne m ea sure. Oth e r mea sures m ay unques
tio nabl y b e unea rth e d wi th i ndust ri ou s re
sea rch. N everth eless thi s me th o d h a s given
nextflipdebug5
(nextflipdebug5)
#1