Editor's Note: Make Your Own Decisions About Truth in Advertising

Part of my job as publisher of NAILS is to review advertisements that go in the magazine. There have been times when I haven’t been happy about running certain ads. But I think it’s important that readers understand the difference between paid advertising and editorial provided by the editors of NAILS.

Readers have come to trust NAILS and expect that if an advertiser is associated with us that they uphold high standards of truthfulness and industry professionalism. But NAILS cannot verify every claim made in ads. We’ve developed advertising policies over the years to protect our readers and protect industry professionalism, while allowing free trade. However, we cannot verify specific marketing claims and assure you, for example, that a product “dries in 30 seconds” or is “completely non-yellowing.” We have to trust that our readers read the articles in the magazine, learn about the products, and know what questions to ask their manufacturers.

Some ads cause flack from readers; others cause flack from other advertisers. Sometimes not running an ad gets us in trouble. We will occasionally get calls from readers when they discover that an advertised product doesn’t do what it says it does, or when an ad offends them, or even when they call an advertiser and are treated rudely. The fact that NAILS allows advertisers to use prices in their ads doesn’t please some people, but we feel that readers have a right to make their own decisions about the products they buy.

We’ve built our reputation, and earned your trust, by always telling it like it is, even when it’s cost us. But readers must realize that we cannot test every product advertised to ensure that the products are safe or that they do what they claim to do. Our job is to educate you so that you can make informed decisions. It’s up to you to stay aware, keep informed, and play it safe.