I think that marketing departments almost HAVE to assume that their target audience is stupid. If they were smart, companies wouldn't NEED marketing departments - we would see through the BS.

They only have jobs if we are gullible, so we MUST be gullible.

There are two advertising campaigns that I thought were smart. And one of those happened beforee I was born.

Mama Leone's restaurant:

"Give them good Italian food. Give them lots! They'll come back."


Square wooden cloths pins, when they all used to be round.

"They don't roll."

We went to Mama Leone's just once. It was so bad and the server was so terrible, that we never returned.

I still like the old round clothespins. They remind me of my mom.

I'll send you a Tmail with the one I remember.

Our grandparents had freer speech than we do today!

I am going to write to Home Depot. It's just one store one BIIIIG store. I doubt it will make any difference but I will make the effort.

Excellent! Companies aren't mind readers, no matter how much they try to be.

I wrote to L's about continually finding bits of styrofoam in the dirt of their bedding flats (millions of which end up getting put in the ground) and was told I should know it's a "common soil amendment," and was basically missing my chance to be glad about burying trash in my yard. Silly me!

Cheryl - they may not pay attention or they just might. It could depend on who ends up with your letter.

Tiffany - sounds like they are experts in trying to transfer their own idiocy.

Good on you Cheryl - you never know.

Oh I hate those generic, no information, do you have a Smart Phone plant tags!
I try to follow the advice of my father. He said, "Always patronize the little guy when you spend your money."
So, rather than buy plants at Home Depot or Lowe's (where the money disappears into the ether) I shop at the independent nursery stores whenever possible. The money stays in our local community and the staff, usually several generations of one family, always know the names of the plants they sell, can offer advice about the best way to successfully grow the plant, etc. Truth be told, being on a fixed income, I am mostly shopping at their clearance tables to buy half-dead plants, but at least the money stays local.

I was a teen when I tossed out my caladium that had "died". I learned at a young age to do my research before buying. They are making a bit harder to do that..[/quote]

I was a young newlywed when I tossed out my first dead Caladium! It makes me wonder how many are tossed out every year before the new gardeners figure it out.

Greene, I'm with you. I only buy the clearance items at the BBS. I like to know what I'm buying and whether or not I can care for it properly, rather than waste my money. If it's something I really want and am sure won't be there if I return to get it later, I'll take it home and do my research. If it's not something I can grow, I take it back for a refund. Otherwise, I stick with the local nurseries that really do care and are knowledgeable about the plants that they grow and sell.