Parrot Secrets

http://www.cringely.com/tag/parrot-secrets/

by robotrout • 17 years ago

26 10 17 years ago

cringely.com

kqr2• 17 years ago

Previously discussed:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=516215

mkuhn• 17 years ago

It's a different post...

robotrout• 17 years ago

This is a follow-up article on a previously discussed item. I posted it, as I found the follow-up interesting, and thought others might also.

ankhmoop• 17 years ago

I'm weary of hearing how market success is demonstrative of genuine value. Parrot Secrets may be a valuable resource -- we don't know -- but a snake oil salesman can also be quite successful, and his success does not validate his product.

This is where Cringely's article falls over. The Parrot Secret's book is comprised entirely of information collated by a 'ghostwriter' from purchased books. Is the information accurate? Are pet owners causing their pet's unnecessary duress or training them poorly due to faulty information? The site claims that the author is a 12 year parrot 'lover' -- as a potential purchaser, you may use this information to determine the likely veracity the information.

Unfortunately for the purchaser, "12 year parrot lover" is a lie.

mustpax2• 17 years ago

So, by that token, would you consider the latest Microsoft ads scammy (maybe even fraudulent)?

They feature Lauren, apparently a real person, looking for a laptop under $1000. Turns out she is an actress, which would also affect the likely veracity of the ad as well. http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/165113.asp

Advertising, by its very definition, is only meant to promote a product. Just turn on your TV, you will see plenty of misleading advertising that's not really illegal.

Would you be OK with Parrot Secrets if the owner paid for a real American girl who owns a parrot to be a spokesperson? I just don't see the reason for the outrage when an Indian guy is the marketer instead of a multibillion dollar conglomerate.

sofal• 17 years ago

Advertising, by its very definition, is only meant to promote a product. Just turn on your TV, you will see plenty of misleading advertising that's not really illegal.

Ignoring the fact that there are various degrees of misleading, from the mild to the outright fraudulent, are you suggesting that people have no good reason to be disgusted with it because a lot of companies do it?

endtime• 17 years ago

They feature Lauren, apparently a real person, looking for a laptop under $1000. Turns out she is an actress, which would also affect the likely veracity of the ad as well.

I don't think you read that article properly. She might be a member of the SAG, but the article doesn't say she was acting in that commercial. Actors are real people most of the time, you know.

cesqui• 17 years ago

I thought this was about Parrot VM when I read the title.

SwellJoe• 17 years ago

Me too, but then I saw Cringely, and I know he doesn't cover that sort of tech.

Parrot Secrets

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