Living Generically with Olivia: The Final Part

Olivia Cole, Client Services Director at greenlight in Dallas, guest blogs on name brands—and on tearing herself away from them. This is part three. You can find part one and two here. 

Last time I reached the profound conclusion that certain products affect me personally, and in order to achieve the full experience I have come to love and expect from them, the name-brand is essential. I think we all remember the Vodka experiment.

What I’ve learned most recently is that sometimes generic just isn’t as good, regardless of the labels or the packaging or the emotional attachment I have to them. When it comes to these purchases, you get what you pay for (and sometimes even less!).

For instance, I purchased paper towels (Value Red by Safeway at $.69 cents a roll compared to $1.18 for Bounty). Now, once I pulled it out of the plastic wrap, these paper towels SHOULD have looked, felt and functioned like any other paper towel. I mean, really, it’s a paper towel – how hard can it be? WRONG! It’s one thing if I’m camping in the woods and need to use paper towels on the hour, but for cleaning and sopping up the spills left behind from my kids, I need something substantial. And here’s the real kicker: the generic towels come on a smaller roll – you could run out completely on a good day! So basically the generic paper towel industry is a racket. DONE.

My next purchase was toilet paper. Full disclosure: I could have predicted this one to be a failure. I’m actually fairly impressed I took the plunge and bought it at all. I don’t even feel like it’s a luxury – but a necessity to have the highest quality toilet paper. There are no sacrifices in hygiene, which is why I’ll opt for quilted softness of Charmin every time. No need to feel like you’re in a ballpark stall from the comfort of your own loo. This is America, people!

Then came the laundry detergent. Talk about emotion! The kids’ good church pants were stained, and the generic soap just wasn’t getting the job done. After some vigorous scrubbing and major elbow grease, I had made little progress and lost total respect for the sub-par suds. I sent my hubby to the store to get the “good stuff” (Tide), and VOILA! The stains were out in the first wash. I never knew what I was missing. It must be the magic bubbles you see on TV – whatever their secret is, I’m a believer.

So let’s recap. This week was a major blow-out for Team Brand-Name.

Generic:

• Second-rate, subversive paper towels -1
• Scratchy, thin toilet paper -1
• Worthless laundry detergent -1

Brand-Name:

• The “quilted, quicker picker upper” lives up to reputation +1
• I just want to squeeze my Charmin, I love it so much +1
• If it’s gotta be clean, it’s gotta be Tide. For real +1

So there you have it. We’ll tally the scores next time and I’ll reach a final verdict.

*Several weeks later*

It’s been several weeks since I decided to “live generically,” and if you’ve been following this blog, you know it hasn’t been easy. I mean, I actually bought and USED off-brand toilet paper! But, this challenge has forced me to determine why I choose specific brands and what advantages those products have over their competitors and their generic counterparts. And along the way, I realized there’s so much more to it than I could have possibly imagined.

I’ve noticed that I either  a) buy something because it has emotional significance, b) buy something because I know the product is the best or c) buy something because I need it even if I don’t have any real attachment. Of course, there is some overlap in these categories. For instance, I am a firm believer in the quality of Grey Goose Vodka, but I also enjoy the experience of having a classy cocktail.

Products that tend to fall within the first two groups are things like Heinz ketchup, Daisy sour cream, Kraft mac & cheese, Momma’s spaghetti sauce, Barilla pasta, Special K with red berries and Buddy’s chicken. And of course, Charmin toilet paper. After trying the alternatives, I can taste and feel the difference, and it’s worth it to me to spend the extra money.

However, tin foil, antibiotic ointment, apple juice, beans (dry, not canned), bottled water, frozen waffles, deli meat, paper plates and hand soap are a few items I will always buy generically. After trying these products, the only change I saw was in my wallet.

But, in addition to shopping critically in terms of brand, I have also learned to question the origin of EVERYTHING I purchase, which has, perhaps, been the greater lesson learned. While debating apple sauce one day I thought, “Where has this been? What goes into it? Even if it’s a name brand, is it a good choice? Who’s touching my food?” I came to the conclusion that if I didn’t know or if I couldn’t find out, I wouldn’t buy it at all. And that day I bought fresh apples from the produce section.

And the great thing about opting for the “fresh” substitute (besides the fact that I no longer have to deal with an internal dialogue from my subconscious debating packaging and brand selection) is that I know, without a doubt, that it’s the RIGHT choice. Why would I eat something out of an aluminum can if I can get it straight from a garden? Why would I want my kids to eat something packed with sodium and syrups? I don’t! After realizing what really matters when buying goods, I know that I am healthier, my family is healthier and I feel like I am an all-around more responsible wife, mother and human being.

You see, the more we question what we buy, the more retailers will be forced to maintain transparency and to put thought and care into how they process goods. So at this point, shopping is no longer about “generic or brand name.” I am focusing on looking beyond the logo and learning what’s inside the bottle or box… Or whatever. Of course there will always be things I will purchase without hesitation, and I don’t feel guilty making exceptions in the name of happiness. I’m about 60% generic, 70% fresher and 100% more confident and aware when I walk into a store. And I think that’s a pretty good place to be!