Why bother about labels? After all you have heard that advert on you tube or tele or in the newspaper and why do we need to doubt what someone is shouting out aloud? Ideally this should be the case and it would be great if one could take the media adverts on face value.
When we are looking for any solution for any problem that we have, we have a couple of criteria or more and once we hear someone using the same words, we are tempted to believe that the product will suit my needs. Many a times and for many things that works well.
However, things that we use which are edible or the one’s that we use repeatedly for our body, clothes, home while may meet one of our need, may end up being a nuisance for a long term that we are not aware of.
Effective communication is about understanding what is said and what is not said also. Sometimes what is not said creates a lot of emotional stir amongst family members, close friends and colleagues. However, in the media and advertisement world, people who are working on getting attention for the product often have a single-minded focus and true to their work and their brief, they try every possible combination of words and images that stir the same emotion in humans that will compel them to buy the targeted product. We do understand this and yet we do get carried away.
Most of the times the advertisers are not telling any lie, all they are doing is over emphasizing that value which will have resonance with targeted audience. And at the same time no emphasis is given on any side effect or harm that may eventually happen by the use of the product. Fair enough. What can one do in that case? Read the labels carefully.
Often the names of preservatives (even though as codes) that may cause harm or ingredients that may potentially cause allergy are written on the product, in very fine print. I keep a small paper lens to read the ingredients clearly. So, any ingredient like SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Phtalates should be read with caution. These ingredients cause damage to internal organs, nervous system, toxicity and skin allergies. Similarly in edible products, all the preservative codes can be easily found on internet and co-related with any allergy or health situation that you would like to be careful about.
Fragrances while appealing can be a source of harsh chemicals if not made from natural products. So many times products may not even mention the source of the fragrance clearly. This has the potential to cause allergies and respiratory problems in many people
One of the things that brought convenience to our lives are inventors who find solutions and innovations and those who can communicate that proposition that we understand well. The latter may have started from genuine need for communicating the product or service value and must have been vested in those people who have that art of communication and developed an understanding of the product. It is important to get past the USP to see if the product is 100 percent from natural ingredients, cause one natural ingredient does not make the product 100 percent safe.
However, as the new world order came by, more and more products were competing against each other and while very few may have the original value proposition, this entire stream of advertising has now taken a turn that many people do not believe the proposition that company is suggesting, therefore the endorsements on the social media started becoming more valuable. While that process may also get hacked, there is nothing that beats knowing yourself, checking, reading the label even with a lens and making the right choice.