The thing I think a lot of people are forgetting here is that the average consumer simply wants to know which oil is right for their product, and why. Delving into formulas and ingredients are not only something they don't want to know, but couldn't understand even if they did. For some, this information will cause them to do more harm than good, because they don't understand the grand scheme of petroleum composition.
For example, Amsoil's statement regarding SG's compatibility with most LS's. This is because a great deal of LS's don't require a special additive. My axle does not require an LS additive, no matter what I throw in there.
But if you enter your year, make, and model, Amsoil will tell you if you still need to use an LS additive or not. This system is as fair as it gets for most of the people who are shopping for lube. They're going to get the right product for their application. Period.
Where the marine gear lube is concerned, they did the most fair thing they could do for the consumer: Provide proof through a standardized test that their marine lube will protect a drive with 10% water contamination.
Anyone who wants to know more can easily find out through their own research.
Dealing with both the average and even the advanced boat owner on a daily basis, I can tell you that almost nobody gives a rat's derrière what goes into their drive. If I attempt to explain it to them, I usually get rudely interrupted and instructed only to give my assurance that it's "the good stuff", "the right stuff" or "the best stuff" and how much it costs. They expert their oil company or the shop providing the lube to do the work. They don't want to take a short science class to decide themselves.
Factory warrantied drives get the spec lube, along with purchase and photo documentation of drive drain and fill (demonstrating lube condition before fill, and use of spec lube). Everything else gets synthetic marine lube, unless engine oil is called for, or aftermarket cannot match factory spec.
