New and Improved. Or is it?

While the words "New and Improved" are supposed to conjure up images of positive change, bright glowing good newness, it doesn't do that for me. To me, the words mean "We Failed. And We Fixed It". Lets use Shampoo as an example. We'll pick one that is guaranteed to smooth out all frizzies, tame all unrulyness, and give you sleek tresses like the hair models on all the advertisements for the product. You buy the shampoo. You like it. You do not have model-like hair in a day, but you are satisfied with the results. Fast forward to a year in, just when you're getting used to the product, and you are kinda liking it. You like the smell, the way your hair feels, its nice. On a random shopping trip to purchase some more, you see a very similar looking bottle, slightly differnet design, and "New and Improved - MAX Shine" emblazened across the top. Now either of 2 things can happen. You might have a choice between the "New" and the "Original", or you might ONLY see the "New". Both scenarios are not good.

The company is saying that all this time while they THOUGHT they were offering a fine product, they weren't. They realize it wasn't quite up to par. They failed. You did not get flowing silken tressess. You did not have a shiny long mane. They didn't quite put enough "smoothing protiens" in it or enough "shine enhancing extracts of guava". They failed. Their product was below grade. They fixed it.

You, the customers, suffer. Either you lost your old product (if they are not carrying "original" anymore) or they are charging more for the new one. Why, if it was their mistake, are they correcting it and charging you more for that? They promised great shine, they didn't provide, they now offer "New and Improved MAX Shine" - give it away for free! Offer it at a very low subsidized rate as an apology for all the years you misled your customers into thinking they're getting a great product, when in reality it needed improvement?

There is no "Max Shine" shampoo that I am basing this off of. This particular scenario is fictitious, but feel free to replace the 'shampoo' with something you can relate too. Think Pampers DryMax fiasco, or Head & Shoulders, or insert your favorite product that is now discontinued thanks to a better, upgraded, product. Humph

Just a little food for thought the next time you find your favorite products being replaced with products promising to be better...