A popular marketing angle for colleges and universities these days is to feature graduates who have gone on to success in their respective career fields in advertising. Metropolitan State University in Denver is a good example:
Browsing around yesterday, we came across a similar “success story testimonial” ad for Lakewood’s Colorado Christian University–the politically-connected doctrinaire conservative college closely tied to the state’s Republican establishment and home to the Centennial Institute, which holds the high-profile Western Conservative Summit every year:
Now, that’s pretty cool! First-generation college graduate, gets her bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from CCU’s online education program and goes on to serve as a police officer! That’s a success story by anyone’s estimate. Enough to make you think, as the ad suggests, that “all things are possible” at CCU.
But then it occurred to us: haven’t we seen this woman before? And as it turned out from about five seconds of Googling, yes. We have seen this woman before. Lots of times.
Via Shutterstock. The “first-generation grad” depicted in this advertisement is a stock photo of a female police officer you can buy for about ten bucks. While the ad doesn’t specifically name the person or give additional details like the Metro State ad above does, it’s clearly meant to leave the same impression of a personal success story. Of course it’s possible that this stock image just happens to depict an actual CCU student, and by a gobsmacking coincidence was used legitimately by CCU for this ad campaign–in addition to being used all over the place as a stock photo of a female cop.
More likely, though, Colorado Christian University has just earned itself a “B.S.” degree of its own.
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It's only un-Christian to lie if it doesn't help the bottom line.
Turning out Christian cops is at least a more honorable occupation then learning how to squeeze money out of oldsters being a pastor. Too bad it's a lie like the rest of their spiel.
Who was it in the Senate credited for the disclaimer, "Not intended to be a factual statement"?
Jon "90 percent of Planned Parenthood's services are abortions" Kyl.
*dramatization
Stock image used in advertising! Slow news day?
If you can get a video of yourself taking a crap, they'll probably post it as a diary . . .
Would he need to go to a certain park in Colorado Springs to shoot that video?
The issue isn't the use of a stock photograph. It is the contrast between an advertisement featuring a real person and an advertisement featuring what is apparently a not-real person.
Trump University comes to mind. Do you really want to parting with your money for a Jesus Freak hustling education or do you want to actually get some value with your degree?
I'm reminded of that famous bumper sticker:
There is no failure like prayer.