Warning: today’s post is a rant on the corporate takeover of “freshness.” Such a great concept – very granola really. Imagine crisp autumn breezes, straight from the dryer linens, harvested veggies. This is what I want the connotation of fresh to be! But, alas, “fresh” and “freshness” have been totally taken over by marketers. As much as I enjoy a good dose of fresh, it seems we have become a touch preoccupied – fresh air, fresh couches, fresh processed food, fresh hand towels. Did it start with Febreze’s “breath of fresh air”? Or Glade’s Plug-ins? Or now Kleenex’s clean, fresh, dry disposable towels?
Just today I have heard three advertizing campaigns based on freshness: the Kleenex disposable hand towels, Frebreze and the Rio’s Carnival World buffet (I am in Vegas, remember). These are three very disparate items yet their freshness is a prime quality in each. What is “freshness”? And how did this become the best thing to market to consumers?
Let’s turn to Mr. Webster…
Main Entry: 1fresh
1 a : having its original qualities unimpaired: as (1) : full of or renewed in vigor : refreshed <rose fresh from a good night’s sleep> (2) : not stale, sour, or decayed <fresh bread> (3) : not faded <the lessons remain fresh in her memory> (4) : not worn or rumpled <a fresh white shirt> b : not altered by processing <fresh vegetables>
2 a : not salt b (1) : free from taint : pure <fresh air> (2) of wind : moderately strong
3 a (1) : experienced, made, or received newly or anew <form fresh friendships> (2) : additional, another <a fresh start> b : original, vivid <a fresh portrayal> c : lacking experience : raw d : newly or just come or arrived <fresh from school> e : having the milk flow recently established <a fresh cow>
4 [probably by folk etymology from German frech] : disposed to take liberties : impudent <don’t get fresh with me>
5 slang : fashionable, cool
Based on the definition I should like fresh things – I like items that are full of or renewed in vigor. I think perhaps I should start a freshness campaign for myself. Perhaps Pumpkin could help – he is certainly full of vigor…and already he is disposed to take liberties. What about the products though, are these things “fresh”?
As much as it pains me, I have to admit that the Kleenex disposable hand towels do hold up to the definitions – they are “not worn or rumpled.” Since they are unused, they certainly retain their “original qualities unimpaired.” But a cleaned, cotton, reusable hand towel is fresh as well – and doesn’t produce extra waste. No more single use products that cannot be reclaimed! Plus I have never let a bedraggled hand towel such as that shown on the Kleenex commercial stay out. My mother would be ashamed! She is a big believer in fresh towels – thank you, Ma, because of you we do not need to even consider another disposable product in the house! I take back all that (mostly) good natured ribbing from about a decade ago asking why I needed so very many towels as I left for college…as usual you were right and it took me a decade to see that.
What about Frebreze? I will admit, around the same time I thought all those towels were a waste I was spritzing my couch with Frebreze. But please let’s face it; largely, Frebreze is an excuse to not clean. I knew it then and I know it now. It is masking – not “freshness” and not cleanliness. And I don’t think it holds up to the definition – I have never had any upholstered furniture start out smelling like a field of freesia so we aren’t returning to the original qualities. Not to mention I do not think that our air or our furniture can be endowed with a sense of vigor…yet, Febreze has marketed “freshness” with much vigor – maybe that is where their freshness comes from. I don’t hold it against my college self for embracing the sweet scent of fake lavender. It was wonderful to mask our homemaking deficiencies – much like the boys across the hall depended on Tutti-Fruity scented Plug-ins to mask the state of their bathroom. But now, with Pumpkin in the picture I take more care, more pride even, in creating a natural, welcoming, cozy, fresh environment in my home. And that does include cleaning more, more than even a couple years ago. But that also means I don’t need to mask anything. A clean house is a fresh house – breathe it in! (As long as you are using non-toxic cleaners!)
As for the Rio…well, their offerings look pretty tasty and I can’t really say if they’re “not altered by processing.” Of course I would expect that the selections are uniformly “not stale, sour or decayed.” So I will go along with their claim of freshness.
At the root of this rant is that I get frustrated when marketers usurp a word – like fresh – and mold it to a new, commonly accepted purpose. When did fake fragrance become fresh? Why does fresh require wastefulness?? When did cooking the food the day you are serving it become something to give you a leg up in the buffet market???
So glad it is Molto Vegas Farmer’s Market day…I can immerse myself in old-fashioned freshness.
Rant over…
