One of my colleagues brought my attention to the SpeechEasy advertisement in the most recent issue of The ASHA Leader. He expressed dismay at what he felt was a misleading and over-the-top promotional display of the device. The photo in the ad shows a couple exchanging their wedding vows, with the headline "Everyone faces challenges in life. Reciting your vows shouldn't be one of them." The advertisement states that "three out of four people who stutter will experience significant improvement in their speech."
I am inclined to agree with my colleague. The advertisement pulls at the heart strings by showing one of the more emotional moments in one's life. The claim that three-fourths of people who stutter will experience significant improvement in their speech with the SpeechEasy is not only unfounded based on the survey cited (only 19% of those who had purchased a SpeechEasy responded to the survey), but is highly misleading. Significant improvement...what does this mean? How long does it last?
I know that there is evidence that suggests that wearing a SpeechEasy can have positive effects on one's speech and quality of life, and that there may be a place for the device as a part of the management process for some people who stutter. But, to me, the ad in The Leader reeks of magic, miracles, and a curative remedy for the stuttering problem.
Charlie Osborne
Hancock, WI
charlie.osborne@uwsp.edu
Editor's note: For another view on advertising, see the "Perspective" column on page 20.