A Wren Says

In the middle of my movie, an ad appeared. An interesting ad, for the Bug-A-Salt. Lowes refers to it as a “device,” but it is undeniably a gun. This “device” is loaded with salt for you to shoot at flies, presumably the ones annoying you at the backyard barbecue. I imagine this product is for a very specific market. The outdoorsy type, those who likely already are comfortable around guns, perhaps are hunters.

It has a completely innocent purpose (that is unless of course you are a fly sympathist), but the shape of the product is designed to look like a real gun. I know that it is essentially just a more elaborate fly swatter. But as a person living in this specific time period in America, I winced.

I know that the way in which it was marketed was to appeal to people who are already comfortable with guns and just want to get rid of pests. But as I saw how the product was designed, how the shooting action worked, I looked into various possibilities. People using the product around their home and being reported, because of what the neighbors think they see. Children shooting salt at each other. The “armed” robberies done with this more accessible weapon-like item. The company by no means intends for this usage of the product. But lack of intent does not negate their lack of foresight.

Maybe it seems unfair, but as a brand these are things that you have to think about. There is how you have designed your product to be used and then there is actual use. Product liability claims could abound, because they should have known better. They could have changed the color of the product. They could have changed the firing mechanism. They could have age-restricted sales.  They could have looked into the future.

How do you want people to use your product? And how might they actually use it? Thinking about the second question can help you protect yourself and your brand.