What is an Intelligent Molecule? Idiot Marketing

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Advertising for motor oil in the USA is so full of hype and misinformation that it insults most people's intelligence. From what little I recall from Chemistry class, molecules are nonliving entities, incapable of intelligence, but then a motor oil is advertised as having intelligent molecules? Is it just me, or others insulted by this stupid claim.

Another thing I see over and over again are NASCAR drivers endorsing motor oils. Last time I checked, they drive the cars. Others actually get their hands dirty. So, unless the race car driver is also a chemist or engineer with training and experience in the field, Oil Companies, stay away from these pretty boys. Maybe some toothless rednecks who are Dale Jr. fans with buy whatever product the ugly redheaded stepchild endorses, but I am quite the opposite. Someone knowledgeable in automobiles, such as Jay Leno's endorsement would mean more to me, with his automobile knowledge and extensive car collection. If he put brand X in his 1905 Stanley Steamer (I am just guessing), and gave his rationale for using Brand X in one car, and then Brand X Synthetic in a Hemi SuperBee, and gave his reason for it in a way that is educational, that would be more helpful, at least to me.

I also see that a motor oil has titanium in it, like it has some useful purpose other than being used in jewelry. I haven't delved into it any further to see what titanium in oil is supposed to improve the product, but I am already crossing it off my buy list.

I was in Walmart to buy some oil to go in my 2001 Corvette, and decided on Mobil 1 5W30 Extended Performance, but with the car fast approaching 75,000 miles, would I have been better off with Mobil 1 High Mileage, even though I really baby the car. Maybe I should have just stayed with plain old Mobil 1 5W30. Deciding on which Mobil 1 5W30 synthetic oil shouldn't be this complicated.

While I was there, I saw a plethora of Pennzoil products, and I though Mobil 1 was complicated, Pennzoil has them beat by a mile. Let's see, Platinum Pure Plus, Ultra Platinum Pure Plus Euro Formula, High mileage, etc. I bet there were 8 varieties of Synthetic 5W30 oils with Pennzoil's name on it. There were also different color bottles. Are the colors supposed to mean anything? Also, Platinum, like titanium, haven't been known for being additives known to improve the properties of motor oil. Are these advertising terms restricted to metals used in Jewelry and possibly in aircraft? I like radioactive elements, like Radium, Plutonium, Uranium, and my favorite, Einsteinium, a smart atom. Who needs smart molecules when you have smart atoms? Pennzoil, I was going to switch from Mobil 1 because I think using methane(natural gas) to create the best lubricating molecules makes better sense than high refining crude oil, which is the basis of Mobil 1. Walmart didn't have Ultra Platinum, but had the Platinum, and I wanted the best oil they make to go in the Corvette, but there were too many varieties of 5W30 Synthetic oils, I decided to stay with what the factory fill is. Make it simple, make it easier to decide. While I was there a woman needed to add oil to her minivan, but didn't know which weight to use. Why not have a book, like for oil filters, for what products are recommended for the different fluids that are in cars. Would be a good service to your customers.

I just touched on just several stupid motor oil marketing terms. What are your stupid marketing pet peeves?
 
What are these companies supposed to do?? Have almost all the same colors, packaging, and all say they are all just about the exact same thing?? No other group of products really does that. Doesn't matter if it's laundry detergent, canned chili, toilet paper, and or pizzas.

I do agree that the advertising is a bit foolish at times. But, really no different than any other products you buy routinely either.
 
Because confusion, smoke and mirrors do indeed confuse the average person. The average person will most likely buy the most "bling" oil he/she sees. The "gearhead" that knows what he wants is not fooled by the hype.
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Originally Posted By: bbhero
What are these companies supposed to do?? Have almost all the same colors, packaging, and all say they are all just about the exact same thing?? No other group of products really does that. Doesn't matter if it's laundry detergent, canned chili, toilet paper, and or pizzas.

I do agree that the advertising is a bit foolish at times. But, really no different than any other products you buy routinely either.

Well that's pretty easy actually. If you get a 10w30 chili, you better make darn sure that there is plenty of 15w40 laundry detergent, and 20w50 TP around. Thicker is better in this case.
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But it can be confusing in the oil isle, for sure. It's all about marketing from their standpoint, and knowing that sheeple are easily influenced, they make the pretty packages, and fancy names grab you. Folks here on this site, most know better. Personally, I don't look at eye level for anything I buy. The gems are down by the floor.
 
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Originally Posted By: drseth


I also see that a motor oil has titanium in it, like it has some useful purpose other than being used in jewelry. I haven't delved into it any further to see what titanium in oil is supposed to improve the product, but I am already crossing it off my buy list.

While I was there, I saw a plethora of Pennzoil products, and I though Mobil 1 was complicated, Pennzoil has them beat by a mile. Let's see, Platinum Pure Plus, Ultra Platinum Pure Plus Euro Formula, High mileage, etc. I bet there were 8 varieties of Synthetic 5W30 oils with Pennzoil's name on it. There were also different color bottles. Are the colors supposed to mean anything?

Also, Platinum, like titanium, haven't been known for being additives known to improve the properties of motor oil. Are these advertising terms restricted to metals used in Jewelry and possibly in aircraft? I like radioactive elements, like Radium, Plutonium, Uranium, and my favorite, Einsteinium, a smart atom.


1. Titanium is a useful oil additive. So are boron and molybdenum. See current thread on this topic, you might learn something.
2. Platinum and gold are expensive precious metals. Using them to "describe" various levels of oils by the same mfg makes perfect sense to me. This is common practice in many industries from mattresses to supermarkets. Just having numerous levels of offerings by the same mfg is by itself not proof of the quality or differences in their oils.
3. Don't see why you like radioactive elements unless you work in nuclear power or just love the additional whole body exposure? Since you like radiactivity, boron should work well for you since it too is a material often used in nuclear reactors.
 
What is an Intelligent Molecule. Would you want unintelligent molecules in you oils? Would you!
 
Originally Posted By: oldhp
Because confusion, smoke and mirrors do indeed confuse the average person. The average person will most likely buy the most "bling" oil he/she sees. The "gearhead" that knows what he wants is not fooled by the hype.
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I wouldn't bet on it.
 
Somebody doesn't seem to understand what marketing is. The reason these statements, endorsement and other things are used is because it attracts people to buy stuff. Not you, maybe, but millions of other people. Whatever gets said has to pass a variety of legal tests in order to be used - you can't just make stuff up. So data is interpreted and highlighted and presented in a way that a consumer might engage with, rather than simply stating test results that almost nobody would understand.

But then even you don't appear to want to understand:

Originally Posted By: drseth
I also see that a motor oil has titanium in it, like it has some useful purpose other than being used in jewelry. I haven't delved into it any further to see what titanium in oil is supposed to improve the product, but I am already crossing it off my buy list.

So, you admit to not knowing a thing about it but have simply made a sweeping (and badly incorrect) assumption that it has no "useful purpose other than being used in in jewelry" and written it off. Have you never seen a Lockheed SR-71? That is some necklace! And in oil, it has a purpose and a benefit.

Originally Posted By: drseth
...but then a motor oil is advertised as having intelligent molecules? Is it just me, or others insulted by this stupid claim.

You know it's not literal, right? You know that Red Bull doesn't really give you wings? Statements like this allow for some intelligence on behalf of the consumer, to put it into context and interpret it accordingly. Or even to pique your interest and get you to discover more.

Originally Posted By: drseth
Another thing I see over and over again are NASCAR drivers endorsing motor oils. Last time I checked, they drive the cars. Others actually get their hands dirty. So, unless the race car driver is also a chemist or engineer with training and experience in the field, Oil Companies, stay away from these pretty boys.

But who knows the race engineers? Who would recognise them? People are drawn to what they know - if that means that a product gets a second look, then perhaps it will get bought. Someone like Jay Leno will have control over how his name and reputation gets used and you can bet, if he licences it at all, it would cost mega-bucks.

Originally Posted By: drseth
Also, Platinum, like titanium, haven't been known for being additives known to improve the properties of motor oil. Are these advertising terms restricted to metals used in Jewelry and possibly in aircraft?

These are elements with a certain attraction so of course they get used. "Gold" and "silver" have been used for decades on all sorts of products. And you know that there is no Pt in those "platinum" oils, right?

Originally Posted By: drseth
I like radioactive elements, like Radium, Plutonium, Uranium, and my favorite, Einsteinium, a smart atom. Who needs smart molecules when you have smart atoms?

From the radiochemistry studies I did at university I can categorically state that atoms are definitely "non-living entities, incapable of intelligence" and yet you attribute smartness to an element that resonates with you, yet deride a statement that a molecule might be intelligent. Double standards. Plus, let's see how much oil (or anything) you'd sell with plutonium, uranium, polonium or einsteinium in it (or even on the label). You may as well create a new McAnthrax sandwich.

You just seem to have completely missed "consumerism" which has arguably been driven into the world in its current format by the USA. Blame yourselves (or your compatriots) - companies are only doing what consumers respond to.

And I'm not sure you're even a doctor. Some irony, right there.
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Originally Posted By: drseth
Is it just me, or others insulted by this stupid claim.


Get over it. You have your panties in a twist over something that is entirely irrelevant. Just purchase the oil that meets your vehicles specifications and find something important to worry about. If you don't like a specific manufacturer's marketing tactics, then find another brand.
Originally Posted By: drseth
What are your stupid marketing pet peeves?

I simply ignore it.
Originally Posted By: drseth
Another thing I see over and over again are NASCAR drivers endorsing motor oils.

Do yourself a favor-turn the idiot box off, put down the remote control, get off the couch and do something constructive.
 
Intelligence can be defined as the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. As such, no single molecule can be intelligent but at some as yet unknown number, those molecules can act collectively to display intelligence.

We need to define parameters and design a test..
 
Originally Posted By: expat
I once bought a garden rake because it had the word TURBO on it.


I bought the Supercharged rake.. Nothing worse than a rake that lags when you're trying to stay ahead of the weed whacker.
 
Marketing terms and outlandish claims are part and parcel to the world we live in.

"Liquid ball bearings" and "Z7 additive" come quickly to mind.

Oil companies are trying to communicate to a generally uninitiated and disinterested public the attributes of their products. Like credit cards, gold, platinum, etc. mean something in the oil world.

So what did Linda Vaughn have to do with Hurst shifters in the 60's and 70's?

Nothing and everything!!
 
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