My son is in college and he and his team had to present the other day, as well as other teams. The first team to go caused him vexation and shame. Their slides were better than his, their drawings were better than his, their verbal skills were better than his. He sat there feeling humiliated that he wasn't up to snuff. Then the team got to their conclusion and he realized, they had done their math entirely wrong. He suddenly felt very proud of his work. He's been dancing around with his chest puffed out ever since.
It made me think of the Trick at Mecone, where Prometheus fooled the Gods with presentation.
We all know content is more important than packaging, and yet, we are all fooled by presentation all the same.
Can you think of a time when you bought something because the packaging was so appealing and totally disappointed when you got home and opened it up?
....not off the top of my head, but it likely did happen.
As "we" get old(er), apparently the unlucky (?) ones find it easier to recall stuff from farther back in the past than what happened earlier this morning.... so eventually it'll probably come to me. 
Edited by - Owen on 12/02/2020 09:45:25
quote:
Originally posted by manderMy son is in college and he and his team had to present the other day, as well as other teams. The first team to go caused him vexation and shame. Their slides were better than his, their drawings were better than his, their verbal skills were better than his. He sat there feeling humiliated that he wasn't up to snuff. Then the team got to their conclusion and he realized, they had done their math entirely wrong. He suddenly felt very proud of his work. He's been dancing around with his chest puffed out ever since.
It made me think of the Trick at Mecone, where Prometheus fooled the Gods with presentation.
We all know content is more important than packaging, and yet, we are all fooled by presentation all the same.
Can you think of a time when you bought something because the packaging was so appealing and totally disappointed when you got home and opened it up?
Pretty much every time I go to Walmart. Oh, and my first wife.
quote:
Originally posted by manderCan you think of a time when you bought something because the packaging was so appealing and totally disappointed when you got home and opened it up?
Yes, figuratively, but I think writing about it is against a BHO rule.
Edited by - phb on 12/02/2020 09:55:58
Yeah. A stand-alone, counter-top convection oven.
Louder than a Saturn V rocket launch.
Harder to clean than the village sewer.
If you don't already own some frozen pizza, you starve.
Over the years I have worked for, and with, several national championship motorcycle racing teams. I have met several big dollar sponsers. One time I was talking with a guy who made energy tablets.. His packaging was descriptive and appealing to anyone who was looking for an energy boost. He told me the packaging cost more than the ingredients.
A couple of old girlfriends come to mind.
I recall, almost fifty years ago, an advertisement for a product (probably Kraft salad dressing) that said, "Same great taste ..." and then advertised the new bottle. I pointed this out to my students - they're not advertising the product, they're advertising the packaging. I saw another just like it recently.
Over a decade before that, when bakeries were changing their bread recipes, there was a commercial for "batter whipped" bread. The selling point? When you tear the bread, it tears evenly, in a straight line. How nutritious.
When I was madly collecting records I was often drawn to the covers. Of course, I probably heard tracks on FM radio back then. And certainly I wouldn't buy a guitar that I considered ugly.
A friend once remarked that onion rings were an example of packaging over substance - all that batter covering a thin sliver of onion.
These Guys!
Be careful. Battered DF onion rings are a food group for some people.
At the very least, a side dish for me.
I see the better part of 2/3 of a good-sized onion in the basket.
I bought 4 XXL Carhartt flannel shirts from the on line arm of a local men's wear chain.
Three shopping bags and a bunch of packing tape for a package. Perfectly fine.
I like having my guts packaged in Carhartt shirts.
The Breville panini press arrived this morning in a box so big and slippery that I can't pick it up and carry it. Bumped it up the stairs 2 at a time.
There are several slide shows on deceptive packaging.
One of my favorites is a box with a cellophane in the center, showing four VERY NICE donuts.
So, one would naturally assume that there are two m,ore donuts under the un-windowed left side, two under the right.
Open it up, and the ones visible are the only ones IN there.
One has just purchased four donuts' worth of AIR!
Here's more: https://www.awesomeinventions.com/deceptive-packaging/
bought a very nice sorrel mare once,,, it rode fine,,, nice gate ,, smooth in the saddle ,, got it home wife and kid rode it around the pasture a few times. i took it one trail ride one day with some friends and we hit a long stretch and i put her into a gallop,,, in about 90 seconds she acted winded,,,, so i backed down,,, rode her down to cool off,,tried it again same thing.
got home called the vet and told him what was going on,,he came out the next day i made a lap around the pasture and he checked ,, she was wind broke. i ended up using her for a brood mare and got 2 nice colts.. but i was going to show her but it didn't work out. sometime or another she was rode too hard for too long.
Never buy anything in a box that's been taped back up!
#1. Bought an air bed mattress for camping. Missing the plug to keep the air in.
#2. Crossbow in a box missing the string.
Both times I went back they just opened another one & gave that to me & then somebody taped the box back up?
This damn sailor with “HERO” on his hat got me smoking,,, I was 15 and wanted to go asea and be a hero.....
I've lost the document but there's quite a story which describes the odd placement of the rope around the life preserver in the Player's logo.
I smoked Player's medium for years, cool sunset picture on the package.
Not sure about 'deceptive' packaging but I'd like to take the opportunity to vent a pet peeve about needlessly inaccessible packaging. That is disappointing too.
Specifically the hard plastic (cut your finger) type that unnecessarily encase the most unsuitable items and defies even some blades to get into it. I once suffered the existential experience of having bought a pair of scissors that were encased in this overkill plastic armour 'packaging'. The only available solution being inaccessibly enclosed in the problem.
Edited by - m06 on 12/03/2020 04:52:09
quote:
Originally posted by chuckv97This damn sailor with “HERO” on his hat got me smoking,,, I was 15 and wanted to go asea and be a hero.....
I didn't smoke, but I purchased this.
Inaccessible packaging. I know it well. No fights with it any more.
I keep a pair of WISS aircraft metal shears in the kitchen for just such occasions.
