Psychological marketing of an aerosol

We are used to some things being marketed by being made to look like something they aren't. Food and drink that looks good for you and isn't. (Anyone remember the original Sunny Delight?) Cars that look sporty but are really just family hatchbacks. As an author, I am ashamed to say it is even done with books (though not, of course, mine). But the latest entrant in this class is an air freshener.

It's not that it is made to look like, I don't know, a deodorant. (Best not to get those confused.) It does look like an air freshener. But here's the thing. We all know that aerosols are evil and environmentally unfriendly. Admittedly not as much so since they took out the ozone layer killers, but anyone with an environmental conscience looks at an aerosol with severe doubts. So the good thing is that some products can be bought with a reliable, old fashioned, pump spray. Instead of dubious gasses doing the propelling, your hand does.

However, what's interesting about this Febreze can is that though it appears to have one of those eco-joyous pump jobs, it's actually a perfectly ordinary gas-powered aerosol under the hood. Now it may be that the manufacturer is totally innocent in this and just thought it looked funky. But do we really believe that, children? Hands up who does... and please re-take Marketing 101.

This has been a Green Heretic production

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