Re: Puzzled - A Case Study
I sorrowfully agree that people abosrb a product being heavily advertised everywhere, and then go buy it without really thinking about it. Even if you convincingly suggest a better one!
Here in the American South, we have these delightful creatures known as Fire Ants. More like red-hot poker ants, who ferociously defend the area around their nest. You really don't want them in your yard! There's a product called Amdro that's advertised everywhere - billboard, TV, radio. Supposedly you scatter the stuff around and within TWO WEEKS or so they'll feed it to the queen and the nest will die out. It's not very effective, and slow as dirt even when it is.
I found a competing (but less advertised) product called Orthene. Sprinkle a little powder on the nest and they are every last one dead within 12 hours. Not exaggerating. I have spread this knowledge to everyone I know, emphasizing the quick and effective kill. Aaaaand most of them go buy yet another bag of Amdro since the last bag didn't do the job! I ask them why they ignored my advice and they can't provide a good answer. Most days I'm the prized and encyclopedic info source, but ubiquitous ads somehow override that. Go figure.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
