Protein Enriched!
Because I work with words for a living, I tend to think about the people behind the content I see in my everyday life, and the process they went through to deliver that content. Was it a struggle? Did they have to present to a whole boardroom of harrumphing big-wigs? Or did someone just throw words around to fill space?
So when I see the gym-provided hair products in gallon-sized plastic containers touting, “Protein enriched shampoo” and “Protein enriched conditioner,” these are the things I think about.
When creating content, one needs to consider the audience. I’m guessing the audience for generic beauty products falls into one of two categories: 1) They don’t care what they use or 2) They forgot their own stuff.
If we accept that hypothesis, why did the manufacturer feel compelled to include a little in-shower marketing for whatever random hair product was featured in their receptacles? Why the need to make it more appealing? How did they know the product would be enriched with protein? And what do they have against hyphens?
I’m not exactly sure I want to know the person who says, “You know, I brought my own, expensive salon shampoo, but look! This shampoo is PROTEIN ENRICHED! NO HYPHEN! I’m just going to pour my own stuff down the drain and lather, rinse, and repeat, BABY!”
Further, was there a process that included rejected phrases? “Freshly scented”? “Lathering”? “Clean-making”? Why was “Protein enriched” the phrase that pays? Did they do user research? Focus groups? Anything?
I have many questions.
By the way, the body wash in our gym is “Moisterizing.”
