bad aquarium advertising

[fearlessfisch]

I got my Drs. Foster and Smith catalog in the mail yesterday. They advertise themselves as a place founded by veterinarians and run by experts in the care of fish. I buy from them all the time, and have always had good service. Yet parts of their catalog are depressing. I am looking at pictures of five-gallon desktop aquariums. One photograph shows a tiny tank housing FIVE angelfish. Another 5-gallon tank has two big goldfish, and one even has a combination of goldfish and angelfish.

It is the same thing at the LFS. Without exception, the aquarium kit boxes depict tanks overstocked by 5 or 10 or even 20 times. A box for a 10-gallon tank has a picture with about 15 goldfish in it.

Maybe it's naive to expect more of companies interested in selling. But you would think that a company that advertises itself as expert in the care of fish would want their catalog to show responsible fishkeeping. People buy aquariums on impulse, and they try to approximate what's in the picture. Aquariums can be properly stocked and still beautiful.

 

[Zagz]

Not only that but logic says that either selling larger tanks or selling more tanks makes more money. For example selling 5 20 gal tanks for 5 goldfish rather than selling 1 20 gal tank for 5 goldfish would make more sense business wise as well. They are looking for the eye catchers rather than using good common sense both in aquaria and in business.

 

[mr86mister]

i've always noticed that too, but sometimes it looks like the fish are photoshopped into the tanks

 

[Aquarium Freak]

thats what always happens because then people see it and are like oh that is so cute and go and buy 50 fish for a 10g tank. Well I guess it is almost good advertising in a bad way. LOL

 

[Toirtis]

i've always noticed that too, but sometimes it looks like the fish are photoshopped into the tanks

Most often they are....and usually by the ad companies, not the pet companies.

 

[Meredith]

You could always write a letter to them telling them how you feel. They may not listen, but at least you know you tried

 

[Jchillin]

I agree. Though most companies and their employees probably want to do the right thing, marketing always has the last say. Marketing will use graphs, charts, numbers to justify advertising "eye" catching themes rather than the realistic ones.

The common person is targeted. If you didn't know anything about fishkeeping and wanted to get into the hobby, what would catch your eye?:

1. 5 gal starter kit with one betta
2. 5 gal starter with 5 fancy goldfish

It's sad but true.

 

[Toirtis]

what would catch your eye?:

1. 5 gal starter kit with one betta
2. 5 gal starter with 5 fancy goldfish

3 gallon bowl with volitan lion.

 

[Guest]

I have never seen a company not do this in their picture on the box / in catalogs, so it must be effective and I doubt any amount of letter writing would change it. BTW, Foster & Smith aren't making up those pictures, so don't blame them, its the maker of the tank.

 

[greenmaji]

sounds like your going to have to target letter writing to the tank makers marketing department.. Marineland and Hagan come to mind.. And good luck getting them to listen..

 

[Andos99]

Aquaria is a business just like everything else in this world. It's like drinking gatorade will make you like Michael Jordan. Just a way to appeal to the consumer and sell a product. Hopefully, most reasonably minded people won't buy a 5 gal tank and stuff it with goldfish.

 

[Guest]

you gotta remember, the advertising on the tank boxes is done by the people who make the tank, not the aquarium stores, and not the company that sells the aquarium supplies online. The tank people usually just use computer animation to make the pictures on the box look attractive, I mean, looking at a tank on a box with tons of fish looks much more attractive than a 5 gallon with one fish in it.

Anyway, its all about the business and advertising, wheather you would actually stock 10 goldfish in a 5 gallon (which i hope you wouldn't.. LOL) or not, if you look around you, a lot of advertisements don't really mirror real life situations. They are just for catching your eye.