'"I tricked my daughter into downshifting"' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Helen · 21 February 2013 at 2:13PM

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's ""I tricked my daughter into downshifting"" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

1jim · 21 February 2013 at 3:47PM

Have been doing this for a while with tesco value hand wash, wife insists on some premium white version..... Just pour the tesco value one into the bottle, she hadn't noticed at all although I did notice (and prefer) the consistency had changed

On a lot of tesco everyday items I managed to persuade the wife to give them a go as they don't contain a lot of the artificial additives, colourings,flavourings, preservatives etc. that got her into trying them and liking them ;-)

Oh, I meant to add that I still substitute the shower gel/creame but she doesn't know about this one yet

AAAAA · 21 February 2013 at 4:06PM

Why are you encouraging people to be dishonest?

TimBear · 21 February 2013 at 4:10PM

AAAAA wrote: »

Why are you encouraging people to be dishonest?

Some people are just a bit snobby about what they buy and think that branded or premium means 'better', when in a lot of cases it doesn't.

For years I've decanted Smart Price bubble bath into a pump bottle to use as shower gel (although when I was living with my partner this wasn't a secret), or used old shampoo I didn't like into a handwash bottle. Why pay more for something when you don't need to if you like the cheaper version?

The fact that a lot of people like/don't notice the difference on cheaper products put in a more expensive package, goes to show that the higher brands are necessarily always better.

AAAAA · 21 February 2013 at 4:22PM

TimBear wrote: »

Some people are just a bit snobby about what they buy and think that branded or premium means 'better', when in a lot of cases it doesn't.

For years I've decanted Smart Price bubble bath into a pump bottle to use as shower gel (although when I was living with my partner this wasn't a secret), or used old shampoo I didn't like into a handwash bottle. Why pay more for something when you don't need to if you like the cheaper version?

The fact that a lot of people like/don't notice the difference on cheaper products put in a more expensive package, goes to show that the higher brands are necessarily always better.

I understand some people can be snobby.I just don't understand the need for the deceit.Why didn't the mother just tell her she wasn't going to buy the expensive stuff instead of being dishonest?

1jim · 21 February 2013 at 4:52PM

Because chances are daughter wouldn't have "liked" it,

These companies do spend a fortune on telling us how their product will make us feel, some will say that these products have that effect, others will say that we feel that the product has had an effect because we have been told the product will do this. Psychology is a marvellous tool.

The deception part is the bit where you carry out a blind trial where the victim has no idea the switch has been made.... If they don't notice and you have done it long enough to make a reasonable point then tell them... Teenagers are tricky though, image and all that, I'd probably just continue with the deceit ;-)

unholyangel · 21 February 2013 at 4:54PM

AAAAA wrote: »

Why are you encouraging people to be dishonest?

I take it your kids wont be told about santa, easter bunny, magic, fairytales etc?

Everything to do with branding is lies pretty much. Lynx advert for example, usually infers that using lynx will make you more attractive to women. Thats technically a lie (unless perhaps you had extremely bad BO before but even then....you'd still smell it through the lynx if it was that bad).

Painkillers claim to target certain types of pain (which is a lie) just so they can bump the price up £2-3. Feminax....i think its ibuprofen that it shares the exact same formula with....yet you can get ibuprofen for 40p and feminax will cost you £4 approx. They are the EXACT same product just in different packaging and with one making the claim to be for period pain.

Often if you check value range vs supermarkets own range.....they are the same ingredient values, recipe etc yet you pay more for the packaging on one.

The retail/advertising industry are far more sneaky than most people realise.

AAAAA · 21 February 2013 at 5:19PM

unholyangel wrote: »

I take it your kids wont be told about santa, easter bunny, magic, fairytales etc? .

I don't think I will have children,there far to expensive!

analyst_2 · 21 February 2013 at 6:43PM

I take it your kids wont be told about santa, easter bunny, magic, fairytales etc?

Why stop there? Add to your list god, heaven, hell, angels, the devil, virgin births etc etc,

We intentionally take kids, when their minds are so vulnerable and impressionable, and indoctrinate them with a pack of lies, myths and ridiculous superstitions that they will carry throughout their lives.

At least the deceit of telling them that cheap shampoo is their own expensive shampoo is relatively harmless and doesn't result in wars across the world. A household war from a teenager is relatively easy to contain.

Viberduo · 22 February 2013 at 12:14AM

There is a difference but for most things people dont notice, cheap washing powder for example makes me itch and gives me red marks(talking about supermarket stuff, not pound shop stuff) and some of the cheap handwashes make my hands itchy.

Its more down to ingredients though, a cheap nasty handwash is bad no matter what label is on it and a good one be it cheap supermarket brand sold cheaply or a premium one will be just as good.

Things like Lynx are popular with teenagers as they buy into the media, but likewise its hated as people think its cool to hate it!(and Lynx is Axe anyway and the products are available in many pound shops)

analyst_2 · 22 February 2013 at 1:06AM

@ Viberduo
I can't help but feel you are being a bit too liberal with the word cheap to denigrate other products.
From what you have said, it is my (quasi-medical) opinion that your skin is particularly sensitive to one or two constituents of many 'soap' products. These probably could be cheap or expensive, its not in the pricing.

I recall many years ago trying to establish a suitable hand-wash product for a food manufacturer. Obviously it had to be free of perfume for a start. We tested endlessly until we eventually narrowed it down to the product that caused the least skin reaction with the fewest employees - one of the engineers who generated tiny water blisters just under the skin - but of little consequence.

My point is, you'd be amazed at the number of people who showed reactions to so many different products whilst others remained free.

You may even wish to consider taking a multi-point skin test for allergies. This is really not as drastic as it sounds. You may find somewhere nearby, e.g. a university currently running a research programme that will be happy to include you - just a thought

'"I tricked my daughter into downshifting"' blog discussion

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