Changing the Perception of Aerosol Products
The aerosol industry has a compelling
story to tell. At the very highest level,
we make solutions for better living.
This industry provides thousands of jobs, both
directly and indirectly, and puts millions of
dollars into local economies. At the product
level, we make countless products that make
lives better. We make burn-preventing sunscreens,
products that kill harmful viruses and
bacteria and products that help prevent the
John Davis
CAPCO Board
Member
transmission of deadly diseases carried by biting insects. Collectively,
we make solutions for improved living and this is the story
that we must proudly tell and actively promote.
I travel a lot for work and frequently end up in conversations
with fellow travelers that almost always center around our profession.
Not long ago, on a flight from St. Louis to Orange County,
I noticed that the young woman sitting next to me on the flight
had the name of one of our largest customers stitched on the side
of her backpack. She told me that she had been working in the
supply chain group as a purchasing agent for just
over two years. Delighted at the opportunity to
connect with someone in the Purchasing group, I
told her that the company I worked for supplied
many products to the company she worked for,
and that we were a large contract aerosol products
manufacturer that most people never heard of unless
they worked in the aerosol industry. It turned
out that she didn’t know our company and she
didn’t buy aerosols. She asked me if aerosols were
bad for the environment and I immediately went
into my standard speech in defense of the aerosol
product form and this industry.
I’ve been blessed to be associated with this
great industry for almost 25 years and, during this
time, there has always been some stigma attached
to the aerosol product form. We’ve heard everything
from the Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) issue
to “aerosols pollute the air” to “you can’t recycle
them.” For my 25 years, the industry’s approach
has been to do what I did on that flight when I
encountered that young woman: we defend the
package and try to explain the negative associations
away.
Technological wonder
Aerosol products are easy to use, offer superior performance and
are safe. They are hermetically sealed, ready to use and require no
dilution. They don’t leak or spill, have a long shelf life, allow consumers
to access hard-to-reach places, atomize perfectly and stay
where you spray. They are perfect for portion control, require little
clean up, are self-propelled and recyclable. Simply stated, aerosol
products are a technological wonder. Yet, as exemplified by the
conversation that I had with a fellow traveler, it’s clear that many
consumers still believe there is something inherently bad about
aerosol products. We in this industry must ask ourselves why
do so many consumers still have negative feelings about aerosol
products? Furthermore, what are we, as an industry, going to do
to change perceptions? It’s time for a new approach.
Changing perceptions
More than two years ago, the Western Aerosol Information
Bureau (WAIB) Board of Directors got into a very spirited conversation
about consumer perceptions towards aerosol products.
26 Spray December 2017