Final answer:
An example of poisoning the well in advertising is a campaign that prematurely discredits competitors, influencing the audience against them before a fair assessment of their products. This tactic creates a biased perception, though the FTC prohibits outright false claims in advertising. The Miller beer stadium advertising example shows how a united message is spread across different platforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of poisoning the well in advertising could be a campaign that disparages a competitor or their products before an audience has had a chance to fairly evaluate the competitor's offerings. This strategy aims to tarnish the competitor's reputation or credibility from the outset so that the audience is biased against them. Although this type of advertising is not directly given in the provided information, the narratives suggest that while some strategies in advertising may hint at imperfections in competing products or services, outright false claims are prohibited by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
For instance, a smartphone advertisement might insinuate that all other competitors are known for poor battery life and frequent malfunctions (without specific evidence or comparative data), thus 'poisoning the well' against the competition. This tactic burdens competitors with a negative perception before they can even present their case or product to consumers. According to government rules enforced by the FTC, while some exaggeration is permitted, advertising must not present false facts.
In synergy with this approach, advertisers may use various platforms to spread this biased information, ensuring a unified negative message about the competition reaches the consumer via multiple channels, which mirrors the example given of Miller beer's advertising at a stadium.