The Internet connects and inspires humans, yet it can isolate or manipulate humans. Living in a connected world is often like a double-edged sword with advantages and disadvantages, primarily depending on how the Internet is used. One of the greatest benefits of it is that this connectivity resolves barriers to accessibility in education to a large extent. Distance learning, for instance, closes the education gap between rural and urban communities. Moreover, it helps lower-income individuals and families to gain access to free tools and resources at lower prices. While the Internet offers growth opportunities, it posts risks. One of them being it is overwhelmingly controlled by marketers. Therefore, this article sheds light on a comprehensive analysis of 5 typical reasons why you fall for businesses’ manipulative marketing tactics and how you can avoid them to make better, informed decisions.
*This article is in response to Daily writing prompt, written by Vivian Davis and published by Berelevant Network, a social enterprise.
table of contents
- 5 typical reasons why you fall for misleading advertising
- What you can do to Avoid falling for deceptive marketing practices
- key takeaways
- references
5 typical reasons why you fall for misleading advertising
Emotionally manipulative marketing tactics are deceptive marketing practices that are deliberately intended to mislead. The ultimate goal is to drive traffic and generate revenues, not to provide real solutions. If you are overwhelmed by choices on the Internet or have paid the price for advertising traps, you need to learn the hidden mechanisms.
you don’t know your rights
Did you know when you hit the “submit”, “send” or “agree” button, you have agreed to legal terms for a service? Knowing what you’re agreeing to is the same as knowing your rights. This is the most effective way to avoid falling for emotionally manipulative marketing tactics.
However, a 2021 blog post published by The University of California, Berkeley’s School of Information indicated that a 2017 study by Deloitte found that 91% of 2,000 consumers in the U.S. accepted the terms and conditions without reading them. A 2019 Pew Research Center study revealed that only 9% of the polled the U.S. respondents said they always read a company’s privacy policy before agreeing to the terms and conditions. In addition to that, a 2023 research by The University of Law, London, UK, found 82% of respondents said they don’t always check updated terms and conditions, considering rolling contracts and subscriptions. Alarmingly, when you do not know what you are agreeing to, you may be subject to deceptive marketing practices.
you make emotional rather than logical decisions
Catchy punchlines, like “a 30-day challenge to wealth”, “a free guidebook to healing” or “a strong (often negative – because negativity sells) PR story”, often drive traffic and sales. They are memorable taglines stimulating emotional spending other than helping you make informed decisions. You thereby make emotional rather than logical decisions.
A 2025 research – sampled 438 Vietnamese participants born between 1995 and 2006 consumers – found that entertainment experiences significantly boost arousal and pleasure, hence enhancing consumer purchasing behaviour (Ngo et al., 2025). Also, Yahoo Finance Canada revealed a 2025 survey conducted by CIBC Investor’s Edge that 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors base their decisions more on instinct than analysis.
you pay for the brand name not the Service
Are you aware that two common marketing strategies are growing “numbers” (building follower counts) and then “selling promises that resonate”? For this reason, a common business strategy that converts is to invite and collaborate with “big names”. Even though you understand that quality of service matters more, you can hardly say no to emotionally manipulative marketing tactics. Consequently, you often find yourself paying (extra) for the brand name rather than the service.
Take “empathy training”, for example. Since the word empathy became a buzzword, many businesses have published viral contents proclaiming the importance of learning empathy and/or offering tips or hacks for free online to drive traffic for general and marketing purposes. But, very few of them actually know how to teach empathy. First and foremost, empathy is not sympathy. In other words, from Berelevant Network (learn more)’s standpoint, a myriad of services, including those offered by renowned brand names, cannot truly help you become a more empathetic, rather a more sympathetic or compassionate person. It is not uncommon for service providers to use ambiguous language when advertising for legal reasons. Therefore, if you don’t know or understand your rights, you may end up facing the music for such misleading advertising.
Recommended readings: Before signing up for Berelevant Network’s communication skills training program, including empathy, read common myths and ways to improve empathy and why people often choose not To communicate effectively today.
you overlook the importance of true professionalism
Did you know many service providers, big or small, don’t always reference appropriately where they got their inspiration from? A good ethic, such as referencing others’ work, is one of the fundamental criteria for professionalism. Because even experts have teachers, too. Without integrity, what’s left for a service provider is just manipulative marketing tactics to make believe they have what it takes to deliver results.
Take the Let Them controversy as an example. A mental health advocate on social media, Cassie Phillips, who wrote poems along with writings that inspired The Let Them Movement. Mel Robbins Productions, Inc. filed a trademark for “Let Them” on July 11, 2024. Then later that year, Mel Robbins, an influential podcast host and renowned storyteller, published a book called “The Let Them Theory”. Failing to properly reference where the inspiration originally came from, the team’s marketing tactics came under the spotlight. Even though Robbins (2023) said in a video, “I just heard of this thing called the let them theory“, they told the New York Post in 2025, “I built an entire theory citing the work of over 50 world-renowned experts… I have not read her poem, and it was not and will never be the source of inspiration for my book. This is nonsense”.
Note: You can learn more about trademarks via Learn Trademarks – Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
you use money, fame, power or popularity to measure Quality of service
A plethora of emotionally manipulative marketing tactics are delivered by for-profit organizations (or individuals) that do not have a strong social purpose. The main purpose is to profit, not to educate or inspire. On account of that, they do not help you to think critically or analytically to make better, informed decisions. Instead, they indoctrinate you to use money, fame, power, or popularity to measure quality of service. See the following examples:
- The giveaway campaign [Money]
- Social media collaborations [Fame]
- Celebrity interviews [Power]
- Relevant stakeholders [Popularity]
Unfortunately, from a legal perspective, if a provider has solid legal terms, it is totally up to you, the consumer, to decide whether you want to use the aforementioned ways to measure the overall quality of service. Perhaps, deep down, you are no stranger to deceptive marketing practices, but are you ready to shed your old skin?
What you can do to Avoid falling for deceptive marketing practices
One of the most effective ways to eschew the repercussions of falling for emotionally manipulative marketing tactics is to increase your media literacy and financial literacy. After all, good spending habits help you become a smart buyer. If you have ever regretted after making a purchase, here’s a list of habits that take time to build, but ultimately, save you the hassle:
- Ask before you act
- Educate yourself on data security
- Pay attention to organizational culture
- Spot copycats on the Internet via brand inconsistency
- Improve your financial literacy
- Keep an eye out for the lifespan of a product or service
you can Ask before you act
Instead of trying to understand convoluted legal documents yourself, the following are commonly asked questions you can ask before you act:
- What are your payment options (or insurance policies if applicable)?
- Can you walk me through the entire service delivery process (if it’s not available online)?
- Would you be able to summarize or provide more information on this?
Kindly note that by submitting a request via an online form or sending an email, you have read and agreed to the legal terms. Nevertheless, you can always purposefully leave out your sensitive information, like “full legal name” and “permanent address”, when initiating your first conversation. This way, you can learn what the organizational culture is like and identify manipulative marketing tactics. For instance, they may refuse to provide any further information or comments before you complete a payment. Or, you may discover hidden clauses in their advertisement.
Did you know?
Berelevant Network’s Help Center encompasses visuals and FAQ that can help you find answers to your questions quickly. Learn more details at https://berelevantnetwork.com/help-center/
you can Educate yourself on data security
Another way to steer clear of manipulative marketing tactics is to educate yourself on data security. Data is king in modern times. When you know your rights and understand how to protect your personal information, you then have a better chance not to fall for intentional marketing. This is particularly important nowadays due to the rise of misleading advertising made by AI-generative tools.
Did you know?
Berelevant Network’s legal terms, Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use, are visible and available to all.
you can Pay attention to organizational culture
Do you always pay close attention to the organizational culture of a business or an industry before making a purchase or fully engaging in their content? Of course, you can find information on customer review platforms and websites, or judge based on information broadcast by media outlets; what about taking “employee feedback” into account?
BuzzFeed News (2020) spoke to former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, an award-winning talk show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, and one of them said, “They (the Ellen DeGeneres Show’s management team) definitely don’t practice what they preach with the ‘be kind’ mantra,”. In 2024, DeGeneres appeared on a Netflix comedy special, summarizing personal struggles and growth and addressing organizational culture in the show business and the allegedly misleading advertising, “be kind to one another”, a powerful marketing phrase. Another example is that the CBC News: The National (2026) released an interview with Simu Liu, a Hollywood’s one of the most outspoken stars who is grateful to have secured a long-term contract with Marvel Comics, where he said, “I think we have a lot of decision makers in the industry right now, that are, quite honestly, just out of touch with what people actually want to see.”
Keep in mind, organizational culture can never be solely represented by one person. It is a collective decision made and executed by all of the people, especially key decision makers, who are involved. Oftentimes, the organizational culture of a business or an industry reflects a belief system that you may or may not agree to. So, paying more attention to organizational culture before investing your time and/or money saves you the hassle of dealing with inadequate customer support influenced by toxic management in the future.
you can spot copycats on the Internet via brand inconsistency
A brand’s success is often not a coincidence, but hard work and luck. The truth is, some marketing tactics may work for one brand, but don’t work for another despite being in the same industry. Looking into brand inconsistency is a smart way to help you spot copycats on the Internet, thereby avoiding falling for their emotionally manipulative marketing tactics.
That is to say, you can visit the “About page” to learn more about their history, look for legal policies (whether they are up-to-date) and the use of professional email or free personal email, check the older social media posts, read published articles and listen to their podcasts if available. Most importantly, your goal is to learn brand consistency, a unified and coherent brand identity. Although a brand with sufficient capital seeds can work with a professional marketing agency to create a compelling Internet persona, the process of learning a brand per se increases your media literacy, thus stimulating your critical thinking to make informed decisions.
you can improve your financial Literacy
Oftentimes, you fall for emotionally manipulative marketing tactics because you are sold to believe that you need something right now. However, in reality, some things are “nice-to-haves”, not “basic requirements”. Improving your financial literacy not only prevents you from draining your bank accounts subconsciously but also helps you become a smarter and wiser customer.
Did you know many manipulative marketing tactics on the Internet these days cater to emotional buyers? Murray (2013), practicing consumer psychology in New York City and providing consulting and market research to large agencies, believed most of ineffective marketing tactics err by viewing the consumer through the lens of the product rather than by basing on consumer’s emotion. In other words, marketing phrases or strategies are tailored to the emotional needs of an individual. This personal issue could eventually turn into a pressing issue, causing an economic crisis. And it all begins with “privacy laws”, “consumer protection”, and “education” that are unsettled, obsolete, or nonexistent.
In light of this, if you want to become a cost-conscious consumer, all you need is to pause, think, research and act. Pause: Wait a second. Think: Do I need this right now? Is it affordable? Research: Who is this provider? What do I know about them? Act: Is this an urgent need, instant gratification, or can I put it on hold?
you can Keep an eye out for the Lifespan of a product or service
Keeping an eye out for the lifespan of a product or service is no doubt a great way to avoid falling for deceptive or misleading advertising. The lifespan of a product or service is, in short, the entire process of service delivery, including the follow-up support and feedback. Generally, you can learn such information before making a purchase by reading their legal documents. Alternatively, you can bring your questions to them and locate the after-sales policies. If you are more tech-savvy, many more established businesses have an FAQ page, Help Center and/or AI chatbot support to streamline the administrative work, so make sure you take advantage of it.
To conclude, did you know reading into the lifespan of a product or service can tell you what a brand really cares about the most? A plethora of marketing tactics are about making quick sales, but often lack relevance or quality of service. Before you make your next purchase, ask yourself what makes you trust this brand over another. A product created by an influencer, or a service offered by an expert? Always keep in mind that true professionalism isn’t defined by an academic degree – for regulated services, this is just a basic requirement – or powerful connections, but by characteristics acquired through real-life practical experiences.
key takeaways
Manipulative marketing tactics will not work for you if you:
- Know your rights
- Understand data privacy and protection
- Learn organizational culture and see if it matches your beliefs, not just look at the name
- Are able to catch Internet copycats
- Identify your needs and wants
- Look at a service or product as a whole
Navigating pages of choices on the Internet nowadays can be frustrating and challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are not 100% sure of a product or service, just reach out. A business that values true professionalism will respond to your questions in a timely manner, even if what you need is outside of their scope of work. Lastly, you are a smarter buyer than you think.
references
Anonymous. (2021, July 9). Do we actually agree to these terms and conditions? University of California, Berkeley’s School of Information. https://blogs.ischool.berkeley.edu/w231/2021/07/09/do-we-actually-agree-to-these-terms-and-conditions/
Auxier, B., Lee, R.,Anderson, M., Perrin, A., Kumarand, M. & Turner, E. (2019, November 15). 4. Americans’ attitudes and experiences with privacy policies and laws. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/11/15/americans-attitudes-and-experiences-with-privacy-policies-and-laws/
The University of Law. (2023, March 30). More than two thirds of people don’t read or understand their contracts. https://www.law.ac.uk/about/press-releases/more-than-two-thirds-of-people-dont-read-their-contracts/
Ngo, T. T. A., Nguyen, H. L. T., Mai, H. T. A., Nguyen, H. P., Mai, T. H. T., & Hoang, P. L. (2025, May 5). Analyzing the role of customers’ experiences and emotional responses in shaping Generation Z’s impulse buying behavior on Shopee video platform. PloS one, 20(5), e0322866. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322866
Brennan, S. (2025, October 13). Young Canadians investing on instinct as emotions drive market decisions, CIBC poll finds. Yahoo Finance Canada. https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/young-canadians-investing-instinct-emotions-120800623.html
Phillips, C. (n.d.). Who Am I? https://www.cassie-phillips.com/
Trademarkia. (2026, March 17). LET THEM. https://www.trademarkia.com/let-them-98643523
Melrobbins. (2023, May 19). Let Them Theory | Mel Robbins #Shorts [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sEDZwG6bFss
Kaplan, M. (2025, March 12). Let her? Army wife claims Mel Robbins stole her idea for blockbuster self-help book. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2025/03/12/lifestyle/army-wife-claims-mel-robbins-stole-her-idea-let-them-book/
Government of Canada. (2020, July 10). Learn Trademarks – Canadian Intellectual Property Office. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-intellectual-property-office/en/learn-trademarks-canadian-intellectual-property-office
Yandoli, K.L. (2020, July 16). Former Employees Say Ellen’s “Be Kind” Talk Show Mantra Masks A Toxic Work Culture. BuzzFeed News. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/krystieyandoli/ellen-employees-allege-toxic-workplace-culture
Netflix. (2024, September 24). Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval. https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81037130
CBC News: The National. (2026, 29 March). Why Simu Liu keeps speaking out, no matter the cost [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2d8l6VsI64
Murray, P. N. (2013, February 26). How Emotions Influence What We Buy. Psychology today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inside-the-consumer-mind/201302/how-emotions-influence-what-we-buy
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