Don't Mess With Fresh

Recently I've begun using scentless detergent. I'm sure that it leaves my clothes as clean as the scented variety but something is missing. Clearly it's that fresh feeling that stems from the chemically-induced smell of most common detergents.

So why does it matter? It matters because certain products have unalienable characteristics ingrained in their being. If these traits were to be fiddled with or disassociated from that product, some real or perceived measure of quality would be lost. If a new car came without that magnificent "new-car" smell, a large portion of the expected emotional fulfilment would be erased.

This is both an opportunity and a threat. When marketers can tap into and magnify these special traits, a new level of customer satisfaction might come about. If those expected quality-characteristics are disturbed, then a disproportionately negative response might arise. I won't make the same mistake again - my next detergent selection will have that familiarly pleasant artificial fresh scent.