Hey guys – in case you didn’t know – we’re pragmatic consumers in this world. That means we are fairly open-minded, strive to be healthy, and like making sensible decisions when it comes to what we spend our money on.
This includes the entire spectrum of what is available in most retail stores. From food to household products, and everything in-between.
You have “junk” that is available in most big box stores, all the way up to “high end” fancy and expensive products that cost an arm and a leg.
While the “quality” items might very well be better, they often (almost always) use marketing to TOUT their perceived superiority.
I have no problem if a product is TRULY better, and they pat themselves on the back. Particularly with physical products. From cars to tools, to electronics, even clothing and other appliances and beyond. Better products logically cost more because they probably are more expensive to produce.
But we have a little problem with some of the emotional marketing out there – particularly with food and other “ecological” items that are disposable.
If You Care is the ultimate smack in the face of consumers
We all know “keywords” are often the major influencer when it comes to your mental state.
Take a look at almost every single vitamin brand a place like Shoprite sells. They all practically use the word “NATURE” in the brand name. They’ve eliminated the suspiciousness from about 90% of the potential consumers right off the bat.
That is psychological trickery 101.
But there is one brand that takes it to another level. A nauseating level, if you ask us.
It’s the IF YOU CARE brand of disposable products that we see at various health food stores and supermarkets like Wegmans.
Can you be any more obnoxious than “IF YOU CARE?”
The brilliant marketing department or whoever came up with this brand name decided not to just use an “eco-friendly” name (i.e., “Earth’s Best”), they went STRAIGHT FOR THE JUGULAR with a brand name “IF YOU CARE.”
It’s a pure guilt-trip.
And I am embarrassed by what is probably millions of customer’s transactions that were influenced by a simple slogan such as “if you care.” They banked on the fact that so many gullible people would feel GUILTY if they did NOT choose to buy their products.
Because if they did not buy the product – they’d subconsciously think “they did not care” about poor Planet Earth.
IF YOU CARE to buy crap – feel free!
Honestly – we’ve tried one version of this product. It was some parchment paper we needed.
It was utter crap. The worst product we’ve ever used.
- The packaging was shoddy and fell apart instantly.
- The product was inferior in every way.
- It was over-priced beyond belief.
- We felt ripped off.
Maybe “IF YOU CARE” has some products in their lineup that people genuinely like.
However, I suspect that ANYONE that likes ANY “If You Care” product – it’s a result of a psychological echo-chamber. They convinced themselves that one single purchase of garbage bags that could barely hold 10 ounces of crumpled paper was going to save the world.
Why the angst? What’s wrong with being eco-friendly?
Hey – we have no problem with any company that chooses to sell eco-friendly products. Whether it makes a difference or not, is a discussion for another day.
What bugs us is the brazen cockiness that a company could have by naming themselves in such a manipulative way.
Can you imagine the next wave of emotional-triggers? What are some possible next companies like this?
- You will kill 1000 panda bears if you do NOT buy this wax paper!
- Death is next if this isn’t in your shopping cart.
- Prevent global extinction or else!
I could go on. They’re upping the sensationalism every year. And we don’t enjoy that these companies are even making any headway with their blatant trickery.
Anyway – that’s our rant for today. We like good things and try to be sensible and less wasteful with our choice – but BS companies like “IF YOU CARE” just rub me the wrong way.
We can make our own decisions – and will never be influenced by a company like that.
In fact – because we’ve already had horrible experiences with one of their products – we’ll never ever spend another dime for their over-priced sub-standard products.
I care about getting a quality product that is a fair value.
“IF YOU CARE” does not meet those criteria.
(To be fair – here is their M.O. – they use every single emotional and environmental trigger statement possible.)
IF YOU CARE BRAND MISSION STATEMENT
If You Care kitchen and household products are carefully and deliberately crafted to have the least environmental impact and the lightest carbon footprint possible, while at the same time, delivering to the consumer, the highest quality and most effective results.
If You Care is the leader in pushing the limits of environmental and social responsibility in its categories.
If You Care analyzes the entire life cycle chain in developing products, from raw materials sourcing, to production process, to packaging, to disposal. Every step is considered in assessing environmental and social impacts. If You Care is committed to ethical sourcing.
If You Care bases its environmental claims on the best available science, and in accord with national and international standards and regulations.
If You Care backs its environmental claims with third-party verification and certification by the leading national and international certifying bodies.
