Are we entering the age of bullshit plugin marketing?

[Nick Blanc]

Inspired by the King's topic on bullshit plugins:

How about a (name and shame?) bullshit marketing thread? Is it deals related? Maybe, it often is ("get it now, we can't maintain these prices for long"). What got me going was the absolutely unreadable text for the Relab Maselec MEA-2 Precision Stereo EQ plug-in. Then came the Quickmuse where I read the whole description and still had NO clue what is was, up until I was at around 75% of the entire text where it kinda dropped some hints it was an effect. I had to doublecheck the Plugin Boutique URL to see what this thing is.

But also the Waves sales prices definitely qualify for a bullshit award. Or Plugin Alliance. A Brainworx Clipper for $249?! You're not fooling anyone, except perhaps newcomers. But, to give PA credit, that particular product page is actually very informative almost without any buzzwords. I do have a feeling the testimonials are on the BS scale, but I'm not against all marketing, it's fine.

I know that writing a well structured marketing text with the right balance between promotion and product info is an art in of itself. This could be something a developer isn't particularly good at (and there's no shame in that). So I have the feeling a lot of these things are generated by ChatGPT, and it shows. 

For me, such practices put me off. If I can't read your text, have no clue what you are selling me, or if I get the feeling I'm being scammed with the price, I'm out. 

Any thoughts?

 

[paulo]

Entering?

I guess you're new to the planet then ? Welcome, oh galactic being and if I may be so bold as to offer you some advice while you're visiting ....never, ever, believe the hype.

Want a for instance ?

Earth dwellers have long been led to believe that extra-terrestrials are smarter than us folk who can't even figure out how to defy gravity.

Marketing.

 

[Nick Blanc]

8 minutes ago, paulo said:

Entering?

I guess you're new to the planet then ? Welcome, oh galactic being and if I may be so bold as to offer you some advice while you're visiting ....never, ever, believe the hype.

Want a for instance ?

Earth dwellers have long been led to believe that extra-terrestrials are smarter than us folk who can't even figure out how to defy gravity.

Marketing.

 

Also, humans can defy gravity perfectly. I can. Just not for very long. But it takes very little effort.

Edited November 1, 2023 by Nick Blanc

[dumbquestions]

Chat GPT’s PA spiel:
“Demo our pristinely emulated 60’s vintage color warming console with live curated transient detection, frequency specific stereo widening module, bass frequency monomaker, and a built in harmonic distortion unit to give your song the “pop” it needs to stand out from the crowd. Tested and recommended by all of the pros. Sound just like Green Day, Beyonce, and Bon Jovi. Usually costs $1499, but on sale today for 90% off. Only $149 until Christmas, buy today before we run out of serial numbers!”

PA: nothing wrong here.. keep them coming. Dev team — please make this one look old and put lightbulbs all over it 

 

[paulo]

8 minutes ago, Nick Blanc said:

I don't believe you.

[telecode 101]

The entire music software plugin business is a cheap carpet seller business. It resembles a sad honest ed that we used to have in Toronto before they tore it down to build condos.  But they actually make honest ed look classy.  Any time you go to an area where you see big blinking  90% off signs everywhere all year round, you know it’s bullshit street.  I have more respect for pawn shop owners than I do for companies in the music software plugin business. 
 

I am already seeing Black Friday sales and it’s only November 1!!

Edited November 1, 2023 by telecode 101

[El Diablo]

OMG?

WE'VE have this topic before in July!

 

Can we squash this, already?

[Nick Blanc]

7 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

OMG?

WE'VE have this topic before in July!

 

Can we squash this, already?

Not really. And apparently in september too, but also not really. This is not about the bullshit plugin itself. It's about the bullshit marketing texts. Specifically I'm guessing the ChatGPT-ing of the entire description. Granted, I got carried away a bit when writing the post. But I get increasingly more annoyed at BS descriptions where you can easily tell no human has made an effort.

[Zo]

3 hours ago, Nick Blanc said:

Also, humans can defy gravity perfectly. I can. Just not for very long. But it takes very little effort.

Talking about gravity  : 

From French old movie (pure art) 

 

" I fools could fly , you will be in orbit !!!" 

Or another fav 

"do you know the difference between fools and robbers ?  well robbers , from time to time ,  they rest !!"

"fools never doubt , it 'seven like that that we reconised them " ..

 

Lol just wanted to share some of my fav quotes since you talked about orbit lol 

The last one is is from Medvedev and a purte beauty talking about EU so called elites " the problem with clowns accumulation is that at the end , we have a circus " !!! lol can't stop laugthing at that one !!

 

 

for the french speaking : 

 

 

 

This interpolate superbly with nowdays marketing , they doubts nothing  !!

Edited November 1, 2023 by Zo

[PavlovsCat]

23 hours ago, Nick Blanc said:

Inspired by the King's topic on bullshit plugins:

How about a (name and shame?) bullshit marketing thread? Is it deals related? Maybe, it often is ("get it now, we can't maintain these prices for long"). What got me going was the absolutely unreadable text for the Relab Maselec MEA-2 Precision Stereo EQ plug-in. Then came the Quickmuse where I read the whole description and still had NO clue what is was, up until I was at around 75% of the entire text where it kinda dropped some hints it was an effect. I had to doublecheck the Plugin Boutique URL to see what this thing is.

But also the Waves sales prices definitely qualify for a bullshit award. Or Plugin Alliance. A Brainworx Clipper for $249?! You're not fooling anyone, except perhaps newcomers. But, to give PA credit, that particular product page is actually very informative almost without any buzzwords. I do have a feeling the testimonials are on the BS scale, but I'm not against all marketing, it's fine.

I know that writing a well structured marketing text with the right balance between promotion and product info is an art in of itself. This could be something a developer isn't particularly good at (and there's no shame in that). So I have the feeling a lot of these things are generated by ChatGPT, and it shows. 

For me, such practices put me off. If I can't read your text, have no clue what you are selling me, or if I get the feeling I'm being scammed with the price, I'm out. 

Any thoughts?

 

Man,  @Nick Blanc aren't we at the stage where we don't even need to say bullshit before the word marketing? Granted, if I nerd out, I could say you're referring to PROMOTION, not the whole of marketing. But I do like your idea! I've always been a marketing pro with a soul. I even once found a kindred spirit in the oddest of places, a marketing lawyer at Fortune 500, a globally well-known brand that everyone here would know if I mentioned it. We both had ideas to make marketing more ethical and I championed her stand once and told her how much I respected her ethics and found she was moved to tears. Anyhow, everything we attempted went down in flames -- very quickly. But we tried. 

So your observation about ChatGPT. It's spot on.  It's all the rage right now. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by PavlovsCat