weird marketing strategies

[ratcreature]

So I was buying some mouthwash, and saw the weirdest ad line on a nearby toothpaste I've encountered yet.

In the prominent byline place near the brand name, where normally you'd see claims like "recommended by dentists" or such it advertised with "compatible with homeopathy". Just what? And it wasn't a toothpaste of the organic/all natural/no mineral-oil derived ingredients kinds or some other niche product either.

Comments

[bluemeridian]

Huh, yeah, that would definitely be odd here, too.

[ratcreature]

As zing_och says below it is because it doesn't have menthol in it, which homeopathy apparently opposes, and it is not that the thing has to make sense. But I find it astonishing that apparently enough people would care about that (and as a positive too) that they put it so prominently on their packaging, instead of writing something about approving dentinsts or such stuff.

[zing_och]

Probably doesn't contain peppermint and / or menthol. Still sounds weird, though.

[ratcreature]

yeah, the fine print mentioned that it is menthol free. Before this I had no idea that homeopathy opposes essential oils (but then I don't believe in that stuff). It's just such a weird claim to market your toothpaste with. I guess homeopathy is even more pervasive than I thought.

[lilacsigil]

Well, their marketing department must have checked it out - it's just kind of mind-boggling that so many people would have this concern as to make the disclaimer relevant!

[ratcreature]

Yeah, exactly. At the least that many people would vaguely associate "compatible with homeopathy" with a good thing, rather than be turned off thinking "don't get quackery in my toothpaste". I mean I assume that anyone who actively avoids essential oils because of homeopathy use, could easily check the ingredients, so it must attract people on a more associative level.

Meanwhile it has the reverse effect on me, similar to how I avoid pharmacies that advertise with also offering homeopathy (though on more serious grounds there, I mean how could I trust medication advice of a place proudly endorsing quackery?) But still.